Topic: feeding bursts

Dietary amino acids are key determinants of lifespan and fecundity. Flies achieve a balanced intake of amino acids under diverse physiological conditions by developing a protein-specific appetite. The Drosophila feeding motor program comprises behavioral modules (feeding bursts and activity bouts) which are tightly regulated by the nutrient state of the fly. Here, we aim to understand the neural-circuit mechanisms underlying physiological state-specific regulation of Drosophila feeding microstructure by dissecting sensorimotor pathways controlling feeding motor programs. First, we show that di

The termination of a meal is controlled by dedicated neural circuits in the caudal brainstem. A key challenge is to understand how these circuits transform the sensory signals generated during feeding into dynamic control of behaviour. The caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNTS) is the first site in the brain where many meal-related signals are sensed and integrated, but how the cNTS processes ingestive feedback during behaviour is unknown. Here we describe how prolactin-releasing hormone (PRLH) and GCG neurons, two principal cNTS cell types that promote non-aversive satiety, are regulated