“We discovered a small group of neurons in the midbrain that potently controls food seeking. Remarkably, artificial activation of these neurons causes eating of caloric foods in non-hungry mice, and inhibition of these cells suppresses feeding in mice that are hungry. Thus, pathological over- and under- activation of these neurons may produce binge eating and anorexia, respectively. Furthermore, our ongoing projects indicate these neurons may contribute to weight loss promoted by drugs such as Ozempic, suggesting our discoveries provide important insights into eating disorders.”
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