How the brain makes you eat more when your body burns extra energy in the cold
Neural Mechanisms of Energy Expenditure-Induced Compensatory Food Intake
This project looks at whether certain brain circuits drive extra eating when adults' bodies burn more energy, especially during cold exposure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325747 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you struggle with obesity or type 2 diabetes, this work aims to explain why people tend to eat more when their bodies use more energy, such as in cold conditions. Scientists will track animals' metabolism and feeding behavior while measuring brain activity, using tools like calorimetry and behavioral modeling. They will map active brain regions with whole-brain clearing, lightsheet imaging, and c-fos screening, and record cell activity with in vivo calcium imaging. The goal is to identify specific thalamic circuits that link higher energy use to compensatory increases in food intake.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with obesity or type 2 diabetes who are interested in treatments that change energy expenditure (for example, cold exposure or drugs that raise metabolic rate) would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People whose weight or blood sugar problems are driven mainly by unrelated medical issues or purely psychological factors may not directly benefit from the specific neural targets identified here.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new ways to prevent overeating that undermines weight-loss or metabolic therapies, helping people control weight and blood sugar.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows boosting thermogenesis can raise energy use, but the specific brain circuits that cause compensatory eating are largely untested and this circuit-focused approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Scripps Research Institute, the — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ye, Li — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Ye, Li
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.