How a brain receptor links appetite and anxiety
Melanocortin-3 receptor in feeding and anxiety neural circuits
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · NIH-11311876
This project looks at whether a brain receptor called MC3R helps explain why stress and anxiety change eating in adults with anxiety or weight-related problems.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (GAINESVILLE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11311876 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are mapping how the MC3R receptor in specific brain circuits connects stress, anxiety, and appetite. They will use detailed anatomical mapping, 3-D imaging, and targeted experiments in laboratory models to see how turning MC3R on or off changes feeding and anxiety-like behaviors. The team will focus on the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and will look for differences between males and females. Findings aim to locate the brain sites that drive anxiety-related changes in eating.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who experience anxiety-related changes in appetite or who have eating problems linked to obesity are the patient group most directly related to this work.
Not a fit: People without anxiety or eating-related symptoms, or those seeking immediate clinical treatment, are unlikely to benefit directly from this laboratory-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for treating anxiety-linked eating problems and related metabolic conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal research shows MC3R influences feeding and anxiety, but translating those findings into human treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
GAINESVILLE, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA — GAINESVILLE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BEDENBAUGH, MICHELLE — UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- Study coordinator: BEDENBAUGH, MICHELLE
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Anxiety Disorders