Neuroscientists at Scripps Research have made a groundbreaking discovery that could revolutionize weight loss and metabolic health treatments. Through their research on mice, the scientists have identified a cluster of neurons in the brain that activate food-seeking behaviors when exposed to cold temperatures. This finding could lead to the development of new therapies for metabolic health and weight loss.
When mammals are exposed to cold temperatures, they instinctively burn more energy to maintain their body temperature. This increase in energy usage typically results in an increase in appetite and feeding, although the specific mechanism controlling this response has been unknown.
The team of neuroscientists at Scripps Research conducted a study and published their findings in the prestigious journal Nature. They pinpointed a cluster of neurons that acted as a “switch” for the cold-induced, food-seeking behavior in mice. This discovery has significant implications for potential therapeutics in the field of metabolic health and weight loss.
Study senior author, Li Ye, PhD, stated, “This is a fundamental adaptive mechanism in mammals and targeting it with future treatments might allow the enhancement of the metabolic benefits of cold or other forms of fat burning.” By understanding the brain’s response to cold and its influence on feeding behaviors, researchers may be able to enhance fat burning without increasing appetite.
The first author of the study was Neeraj Lal, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate in the Ye Lab. The researchers used various techniques, including whole-brain clearing and light sheet microscopy, to examine the activity of neurons in the brain during cold and warm conditions.
They discovered that a specific cluster of neurons called the xiphoid nucleus of the midline thalamus showed increased activity under cold conditions. Furthermore, when these neurons were artificially activated, the mice showed an increase in food-seeking behavior. Conversely, inhibiting the activity of these neurons resulted in a decrease in food-seeking.
The team also found that these xiphoid nucleus neurons project to a brain region called the nucleus accumbens, which is known for its role in regulating feeding behavior. This suggests that the cold-induced appetite increase is connected to the reward and aversion signals that guide behavior.
The implications of these findings are significant. They suggest the possibility of blocking the usual cold-induced appetite increase, which could make cold exposure regimens more effective for weight loss. The researchers are now focused on understanding how to decouple the appetite increase from energy expenditure and if this mechanism is part of a broader compensation mechanism the body uses after activities like exercise.
Overall, this breakthrough in understanding the brain’s response to cold temperatures and its influence on feeding behaviors brings hope for improved metabolic health treatments and more efficient weight loss strategies. With further research and development, these findings could potentially change the way we approach weight loss and improve our overall metabolic health.