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SUMMARY:Control of body weight homeostasis by specialized brain-adipose lo
 op neurons
DTSTART:20230223T140000
DTEND:20230223T153000
DTSTAMP:20260513T185412Z
UID:a979569031e0c2848156529a6aaf5f4a9733bca932926dfd1b2e516b
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Alessandro Furlan\nAbstract: Disruption of homeostasis ca
 n lead to obesity\, a major health issue. According to the canonical view\
 , body weight homeostasis is achieved via a cross-talk between hormones\, 
 released by fat cells\, the adipocytes\, in the bloodstream (e.g. leptin)\
 , and a regulatory system in the brain\, whose neurons coordinate the appr
 opriate behavioral (e.g. eating) and physiological response. Apart from so
 me rare genetic conditions\, the biological drivers of over-eating are unc
 lear. We found that neurotensin-expressing neurons in the mouse interstiti
 al nucleus of the posterior limb of the anterior commissure (IPAC)\, a nuc
 leus of the central extended amygdala\, encode dietary preference for unhe
 althy energy-dense foods. Acute activation and inhibition of IPACNts neuro
 ns increase and decrease feeding\, respectively\, and modulate the mouse
 ’s food preference. Chronic inactivation of IPACNts neurons also reduces
  food intake\, enhances energy expenditure via locomotion\, and increases 
 fat burning. As a result\, mice display long-term weight loss and are prot
 ected from obesity. Thus\, the activity of a single neuronal population bi
 directionally regulates energy homeostasis. These findings offer an entry 
 point to disentangle the complex brain-fat circuitry responsible for weigh
 t homeostasis. We hypothesize that the peripheral nervous system enables b
 ilateral interaction between the fat cells and specialized “loop” neur
 ons\, in the brain. Uncovering the role of non-hormonal brain-body communi
 cation in the regulation of energy homeostasis will radically transform ou
 r understanding of weight regulation in health and disease and lead to the
  discovery of new molecular targets to develop therapeutic strategies agai
 nst obesity.\n 
LOCATION:SV 1717 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==SV%201717 https://epfl.zoom.u
 s/j/64361672221
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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