This research identifies a specific cortical-hypothalamic neural circuit that governs compulsive eating behaviors. By studying both mice and humans, scientists discovered that neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) communicate with the rostral zona incerta (rZI) to drive food-seeking even when faced with negative consequences. In animal models, stimulating this pathway led to persistent bingeing that was resistant to punishment, while human brain imaging revealed that stronger connectivity between these regions correlates with obesity and binge-eating traits. Unlike other hunger-related circuits that simply increase appetite, this particular loop reshapes brain dynamics to prioritize palatable food over safety or avoidance. These findings highlight a conserved biological mechanism across species that may serve as a primary target for treating eating disorders. Combined, the data suggest that maladaptive feeding is the result of top-down cortical signals overriding typical self-control systems.
References:
Leow Y N, Senol E, Qian X, et al. A cortical-hypothalamic neural circuit for compulsive eating in mice[J]. Neuron, 2026.
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