RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Labeled lines for fat and sugar reward combine to promote overeating
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.08.09.503218
DO 10.1101/2022.08.09.503218
A1 Molly McDougle
A1 Alan de Araujo
A1 Macarena Vergara
A1 Mingxin Yang
A1 Arashdeep Singh
A1 Isadora Braga
A1 Nikhil Urs
A1 Brandon Warren
A1 Guillaume de Lartigue
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/08/11/2022.08.09.503218.abstract
AB Food is a powerful natural reinforcer that guides feeding decisions. The vagus nerve conveys internal sensory information from the gut to the brain about nutritional value; however, the cellular and molecular basis of macronutrient-specific reward circuits are poorly understood. Here, we monitor in vivo calcium dynamics to provide direct evidence of independent vagal sensing pathways for detection of dietary fats and sugars. Using activity-dependent genetic capture of nutrient-specific vagal neurons activated in response gut infusions, we demonstrate the existence of separate hard-wired reward circuits for fat and sugar that are necessary and sufficient for nutrient-specific reinforcement. Even when controlling for calories, combined activation of fat and sugar circuits increases overeating compared to fat or sugar alone. This work provides new insight on the complex sensory circuitry that mediates motivated behavior and suggests that a subconscious internal drive to consume obesogenic diets (e.g., those high in both fat and sugar) may impede conscious dieting efforts.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.