Topic: food odours

Food sensory perception has emerged as a potent regulator of specialized feeding circuits; yet, the consequences on feeding behaviour and the underlying neuronal basis remain poorly understood. Here, we reveal a sensory pathway that coordinately integrates food odours to control forthcoming nutrient intake. Unbiased whole-brain mapping of food odours-induced brain activity revealed a potent activation of the medial septum (MS), where food odours selectively activate MS glutamatergic neurons (MSVGLUT2). Characterization of the activity dynamics of MSVGLUT2 neurons uncovered a biphasic modulatio

Food odours are perceived before consumption and trigger physiological responses (e.g., appetite, saliva, digestive enzymes) to help the body prepare for ingestion. Importantly, smell perception through the olfactory bulb (OB) increases when hungry. The mechanism linking metabolism and olfaction remains unknown, but there is converging evidence that the olfactory system is a target for metabolic hormones associated with food intake regulation and may adapt the olfactory system to nutritional needs by promoting or inhibiting food-seeking. Here, we looked at the hormone ghrelin as a signal of en