Abstract:

The metabolism of an organism has to be constantly adjusted to the internal variance of nutrient availability and even to predicted changes thereof. Therefore, the brain integrates hormonal and gut signals with environmental cues, to adjust food intake and fuel distribution. Recent developments in molecular system neuroscience have advanced our understanding about the neurons underlying these regulatory principles. How these cells communicate with each other to process nutrient-related signals, and how the circuits they form encode different aspects of behavior and physiology are key questions that are now beginning to be addressed. We study the synapses that organize the circuits underlying metabolism regulation, working under the premise that synapses are the basic computational unit that connect neurons into circuits and provide the basis of flexible adaptations. In my talk, I will present our recent work on the synaptic properties of distinct hypothalamic and brainstem neurons, and how the circuits they form underlie the adaptive control of feeding behavior, glucose and lipid metabolism.