Topic: gut-brain communication

In obesity, disruption of gut-brain communication has been associated with overeating, body weight gain, and metabolism disorders. Vagal sensory neurons (VSN) relay nutrient-related signals from the gut to the brain, but how distinct, gut-innervating VSN subtypes are affected by obesity remains unclear. We employed an intersectional genetic approach to investigate obesity-induced functional changes in molecularly defined VSN subtypes that innervate the stomach and small intestine. We demonstrate that overexpression of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (Socs3), a crucial regulator of lepti

Despite an overall increase in caloric needs, regular physical activity has been associated with improved appetite signaling. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying this sensitization remain unclear. We employed a voluntary wheel running protocol to investigate how physical activity affects gut-brain communication of vagal sensory neurons for the control of feeding behavior in mice. We find that physically active mice exhibit a significant decrease in food intake in response to the delivery of nutrients directly into the stomach, as compared to sedentary controls. Further, sensitivity to ch