Topic: Qrfp neurons

To survive in harsh environment such as food shortages in cold seasons, some animals develop a specific physiologic state—the hibernation. Recently, a hibernation-like state was successfully induced in non-hibernators such as mice. This state is induced by activation of Qrfp neurons in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus and is called Q-neuron-induced hypothermia and hypometabolism (QIH) (Takahashi et al., Nature, 2020). The mice showed hypothermia with very low systemic oxygen consumption during QIH. However, it remains unclear how the metabolism of glucose, the main energy resource, is reg

Some animals use the strategy, known as hibernation, to survive harsh environments, such as extreme thermal challenges and food scarcity, by reducing metabolism and core body temperature. Recent work has shown that activation of Qrfp neurons in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (POA) can induce a hibernation-like state in non-hibernators such as mice, termed Q-neuron-induced hypothermia and hypometabolism (QIH) (Takahashi et al., Nature, 2020). During QIH, the mice show hypothermia with low systemic oxygen consumption. Interestingly, they show immobile behaviours, such as hibernation and a