Neuronal Regulation of Feeding and Energy Metabolism: A Focus on the Hypothalamus and Brainstem
Jing Chen2 · Meiting Cai1 · Cheng Zhan11 Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
2 Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, China International Neuroscience Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
Abstract
In the face of constantly changing environments, the central nervous system (CNS) rapidly and accurately calculates the body’s needs, regulates feeding behavior, and maintains energy homeostasis. The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) plays a key role in this process, serving as a critical brain region for detecting nutrition-related hormones and regulating appetite and energy homeostasis. Agouti-related protein (AgRP)/neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons in the ARC are core elements that interact with other brain regions through a complex appetite-regulating network to comprehensively control energy homeostasis. In this review, we explore the discovery and research progress of AgRP neurons in regulating feeding and energy metabolism. In addition, recent advances in terms of feeding behavior and energy homeostasis, along with the redundant neural mechanisms involved in energy metabolism, are discussed. Finally, the challenges and opportunities in the field of neural regulation of feeding and energy metabolism are briefly discussed.
Keywords
Hypothalamus; AgRP neurons; Feeding behavior; Energy homeostasis; Brainstem; NTS; VLM; Catecholaminergic neurons; NPY neurons
