How the brain signals when to stop eating
Neural Dynamics Underlying Feeding
Researchers are measuring brain-cell activity that tells mice when to end a meal to learn how meal size is controlled and how that could help people with overeating or obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11330227 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project records activity of neurons in a brainstem area that helps terminate meals while mice eat freely. The team will change signals coming from different parts of the gut and blood and watch how those changes alter neural activity and feeding. They will also use light-based (optogenetic) methods to boost or block specific natural activity patterns and see how meal size responds. The goal is to map the signals and circuits that tell animals to stop eating and link those findings to overeating and obesity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with overweight or obesity or those struggling with meal-size control would be the most relevant group for future trials based on this research.
Not a fit: People without appetite or weight concerns or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic animal research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new brain or gut targets for treatments that reduce overeating and help people with obesity.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal experiments have shown that manipulating brainstem and gut-brain circuits can change feeding, but recording natural neural patterns during normal meals and linking specific gut signals to those patterns is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Knight, Zachary a. — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Knight, Zachary a.
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.