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CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
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SEQUENCE:0
UID:UW-Physics-Event-2324
DTSTART:20111129T180500Z
DURATION:PT1H0M0S
DTSTAMP:20260414T124524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20111024T172453Z
LOCATION:4274 Chamberlin
SUMMARY:Feeding behavior elicited from the prefrontal cortex: a case o
 f lower-level brain centers for homeostatic energy-balance control “
 taking orders from above?”\, Chaos & Complex Systems Seminar\, Brian
  A. Baldo\, UW Department of Psychiatry
DESCRIPTION:Feeding is a simple behavior that is required for the surv
 ival of the individual. Fundamentally\, feeding replenishes chemical e
 nergy and maintains an energy reserve for adaptive behavior and physio
 logical housekeeping functions. Nevertheless\, the neural controls ove
 r this simple behavior are exceedingly complex. There appear to be spe
 cialized brain circuits for distinguishable aspects of feeding\, for e
 xample\, feeding elicited by negative energy balance (hunger/starvatio
 n)\, by the anticipated experience of pleasurable taste (the "dessert 
 stomach")\, or by stress ("emotional eating"). My lab explores how the
 se diverse circuits interact\, by chemically stimulating discrete brai
 n sites in rats and observing the effects upon the organization of fee
 ding behavior.
\n
\nRecently\, we found that stimulating a specific ne
 urochemical system within the prefrontal cortex\, usually viewed as a 
 seat of higher cognition\, decision-making\, and impulse control\, pro
 duces a remarkable set of behaviors characterized by intense hyperacti
 vity and abrupt\, disorganized feeding responses. The neurochemical sy
 stem under study was the mu-opioid peptide system (the "brain's own he
 roin")\, known to mediate drug reward and to play a role in drug cravi
 ng and relapse. Our studies were the first to show that feeding behavi
 or can be driven by stimulating specific opioid-sensitive "hot spots" 
 within the prefrontal cortex. Moreover\, we showed that stimulating op
 ioid systems in these cortical hot spots activates simpler downstream 
 brain systems that regulate the homeostatic control of energy balance 
 and body weight. Finally\, we have obtained preliminary evidence that 
 opioid stimulation of these same hot spots degrades cognitive function
 \, as measured in a task of working memory.
\n
\nTaken together\, our 
 results indicate that mu-opioid-mediated activation of the prefrontal 
 cortex simultaneously degrades higher cognitive function and elicits d
 ysregulated feeding responses by "usurping" control of lower brain sys
 tems that regulate energy balance. Our findings may have implications 
 for understanding eating disorders and addiction\, which are character
 ized by the loss of control over food- or drug-seeking behaviors.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=2324
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