In general, "deliciousness" is important for different foods, but there is also a mechanism for eating different foods according to the excess or deficiency of nutrients stored in the body.Until now, the details of the nerve cells involved in the regulation were unknown.

　This time, the research group has AMP in some nerve cells (neurons) that produce "adrenal cortex stimulating hormone-releasing hormone (CRH)" secreted from the "paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus" when mice are fasted for one day. We found that kinase (a phosphorylating enzyme that controls glucose metabolism and fat metabolism) is activated.It was also found that when the activities of CRH neurons and AMP kinase are artificially changed, CRH neurons are activated by AMP kinase and promote the intake of carbohydrate diet.In addition, changing carbohydrates to cornstarch and sucrose and fats from lard to coconut oil to investigate differences between food types gave the same results.

　These results indicate that this CRH neuron is a special neuron activated by AMP kinase, which, when activated, alters carbohydrate preference and determines whether to choose fat or carbohydrate. ..

　This time, the discovery of nerve cells that determine the distinction between carbohydrate and fat has revealed the neural circuit that determines food preference.In the future, it is said that this will lead to the elucidation of the neural circuit of the person who decides how to eat different foods, the reason why highly obese people prefer to eat fat foods, and the cause of eating sweets due to stress.

Paper information:[Cell Reports] Activation of AMPK-Regulated CRH Neurons in the PVH is Sufficient and Necessary to Induce Dietary Preference for Carbohydrate over Fat