An mPOA-ARCAgRP pathway modulates cold-evoked eating behavior
Shuo Yang, Yu Lin Tan, Xiaohua Wu, Jing‐Jie Wang, Jingjing Sun, Anqi Liu, Linhua Gan, Bo Shen, Xiaocui Zhang, Yu Fu, Ju Huang
Abstract
Enhanced appetite occurs as a means of behavioral thermoregulation at low temperature. Neural circuitry mediating this crosstalk between behavioral thermoregulation and energy homeostasis remains to be elucidated. We find that the hypothalamic orexigenic agouti-related neuropeptide (AgRP) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) are profoundly activated by cold exposure. The calcium signals in ARCAgRP neurons display an immediate-response pattern in response to cold stimulation. Cold-responsive neurons in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) make excitatory synapses onto ARCAgRP neurons. Inhibition of either ARCAgRP neurons or ARC-projecting mPOA neurons attenuates cold-evoked feeding, while activation of the mPOA-to-ARC projection increases food intake. These findings reveal an mPOA-ARCAgRP neural pathway that modulates cold-evoked feeding behavior.