When faced with a potential threat, hungry animals must constantly balance feeding and defensive behaviors. A new study by Cristina Miralpeix and Abel Eraso-Pichot, from the Cota and Marsicano teams at Neurocentre Magendie (Univ. Bordeaux / Inserm), published in Advanced Science, reveals how hypothalamic POMC neurons play a key role in this decision-making process.
The authors demonstrate that these POMC neurons mobilize stress circuits expressing CRH, along with their resulting hormonal responses, to coordinate the selection between these competing behaviors. Signaling via the CB1 receptor in POMC neurons modulates this process, directing behavior towards defensive responses rather than feeding.
This fundamental research opens avenues for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying eating disorders and stress responses.
