Brain Eating Centers

Eating begins in the brain. Eating is controlled in the brain. For more than half a century, researchers have known that basic motivated behaviors, such as eating, drinking, and sleeping, are controlled within the lateral hypothalamus, which is similar in all mammals. But have you ever wondered what part of the brain pushes you to eat or not to eat? Studies have shown that within the lateral hypothalamus (LH) there are distinct groups of cells, living right next door to each other, if you will. There is the Orexin cell population, the MCH, and the Vgat, to name a few. There are also the LH GABA activation cells that push you to consume food and get a reward, and the LH GABA inhibition cells that encourage you not to eat any more. Although these cell groups appear to live right next door to each other in the brain, each primarily appears to be responsible for one or the other of these behaviors (eating or not eating) but rarely both. This points out yet again the complexity of the brain. More tomorrow.