Ghrelin modulation of reward mechanisms

包括人类在内的动物吃东西不仅是因为它们饿了，还因为吃某些食物的经历特别令人愉快。在这种情况下，尽管这些食物含有的卡路里比某一天所消耗的能量更多，但它们还是被过度消费了。Ghrelin是一种由胃产生的激素，似乎也是一种通过刺激大脑中与奖励机制相关的多巴胺细胞来促进这类食物过度消费的激素。在目前的提案中，我们提议进行研究，以确定Ghrelin调节奖励过程以促进食物摄入的机制，以及与其他奖励相关的潜在行为，包括性行为和滥用药物的摄入。此外，这项拟议的工作将促进调节这种激素分泌的创新方法，以及Ghrelin受体激活和其他神经递质受体之间的相互作用，以此作为了解它如何影响大脑增加奖赏寻求行为的手段。为了做到这一点，我们将使用行为、分子和遗传技术以及转基因模型的组合，以确定大脑中特定细胞组中Ghrelin的功能。

Animals including humans eat not only because they are hungry, but also because experience with certain foods is particularly pleasurable. In this case, these foods are over-consumed in spite of containing more calories than those used for energy on a given day. Ghrelin, a hormone produced by the stomach, is also one that seems to promote the over-consumption of these kinds of food through the stimulation of dopamine cells associated with reward mechanisms in the brain. In the current proposal, we propose studies to determine the mechanisms by which ghrelin modulates reward processes to promote food intake, and potentially behaviors associated with other stimuli that are rewarding including sex and the intake of drugs of abuse. Furthermore, the proposed work will promote innovative approaches to modulate the secretion of this hormone, and the interaction between ghrelin receptor activation, and that of other neurotransmitter receptors as a means to understand how it influences the brain to increase reward seeking behaviors. To do this, we will use a combination of behavioral, molecular and genetic techniques and transgenic models that allow for the determination of ghrelin function in specific sets of cells within the brain.