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A team of researchers has identified a previously unknown group of neurons in the brain’s hypothalamus that play a key role in regulating food intake. This groundbreaking discovery, published Thursday in the journal Nature, may open doors to innovative treatments for obesity.
The research, conducted by scientists from Rockefeller University, the Institute for Genome Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and New York and Stanford Universities, highlights the role of neurons responsive to the hormone leptin. Leptin, produced by fat cells, sends signals to the brain to suppress appetite, making it an essential component in weight regulation.
“We’ve long known that the hypothalamus—located deep in the brain—plays a role in hunger, hormone levels, stress responses, and body temperature,” said Brian Herb, a scientist at the Institute for Genome Sciences and research associate at UMSOM.
Using advanced tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, the team demonstrated that this newly identified neuronal population, which expresses both leptin receptors and the BNC2 gene, directly influences appetite. Mice with these neurons genetically altered to lack leptin receptors consumed more food and gained significantly more weight compared to normal mice.
Further experiments revealed that these neurons are activated by food-related stimuli, including sensory cues like palatability and nutritional status. When researchers tagged the BNC2 neurons with fluorescence, they observed increased activity in these cells after feeding fasted mice, unlike other hypothalamic neurons previously linked to appetite control.
“These findings add a critical new component to our understanding of how neurons impact appetite and obesity,” Dr. Herb said. “This could be a future target for obesity treatment, such as by activating these neurons to reduce weight or suppress hunger.”
The discovery offers a promising new pathway for tackling obesity, a global health challenge affecting millions. By targeting this specific neuronal population, scientists may be able to develop drugs that better regulate appetite and promote weight loss with fewer side effects.
The researchers believe that further exploration of these neurons could deepen our understanding of the complex neural networks governing hunger and pave the way for more effective therapies for obesity and related metabolic disorders.
