Neuroanatomic and Functional Characterization of Cerebellar Circuits Mediating Ingestive Behaviors

Project Summary/Abstract Understanding the interconnected web of brain circuits that regulate body weight (fat) is vital for the prevention and treatment of obesity. The goal of this proposal is to establish a novel role for the cerebellum in feeding behaviors related to obesity. The vast computational power of the cerebellum (>1/2 of all neurons in the human brain are cerebellar granule cells) has traditionally been considered in relation to movement. However, mounting evidence suggests that cerebellar machinery for learning and predictive control operates across a much wider domain: ranging from autonomic functions to cognitive and motivated behaviors. Guided by our recent finding of a specific region of the mouse cerebellum that potently drives ingestive behavior, the proposed experiments leverage state-of-the-art methods for mapping, monitoring, and manipulating neural circuits in mice to elucidate cerebellar roles in feeding behavior. The proposed studies will lay the groundwork for imputing a vital role of the cerebellum in optimizing feeding behaviors in the context of extant physiological and environmental conditions.