A role for hypothalamic dopamine in predicting homeostatic need

项目摘要 为了有效地控制能量平衡，大脑对未来做出预测。 热量需求和食物供应，以激发觅食行为。公 确定多巴胺神经元在这一过程中起着至关重要的作用， 预测错误信号传递到中央奖励中心，如丘脑核。这个过程 加强学习，帮助发展寻求奖励的行为， 环境线索下丘脑外侧区（LHA）的多巴胺释放-一种主要的 内稳态控制中心，已经报道。然而，尚不清楚LHA中的多巴胺是否 编码预测错误来指导寻找食物的行为。此外，LHA多巴胺的来源 目前尚不清楚。在这项提案中，我们的目标是描述多巴胺在LHA中的作用， 测试LHA从多巴胺神经元接收预测误差信号的假设， 腹侧被盖区这项提议中的实验将揭示一种新的神经回路， 定义了多巴胺在进食行为中的新作用。

PROJECT SUMMARY In order to efficiently control energy homeostasis, the brain makes predictions about future caloric needs and food availability in order to invigorate food-seeking behavior. It is well established that dopamine neurons play a crucial role in this process, as they communicate prediction error signals to central reward centers, such as the nucleus accumbens. This process reinforces learning and aids in the development of reward-seeking behavior in response to environmental cues. Dopamine release in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) - a primary homeostatic control center, has been reported. However, it is unknown if dopamine in LHA encodes prediction errors to guide food-seeking behavior. Further, the source of LHA dopamine is currently unknown. In this proposal we aim to characterize the role of dopamine in LHA and test the hypothesis that LHA receives prediction error signals from dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area. The experiments in this proposal will reveal a novel neural circuit and define a new role for dopamine in feeding behavior.