Glucose-responsive neurons of the paraventricular thalamus control sucrose-seeking behavior.
Feeding behavior is governed by homeostatic needs and motivational drive to obtain palatable foods. Here, we identify a population of glutamatergic neurons in the paraventricular thalamus of mice that express the glucose transporter Glut2 (encoded by Slc2a2) and project to the nucleus accumbens. These neurons are activated by hypoglycemia and, in freely moving mice, their activation by optogenetics or Slc2a2 inactivation increases motivated sucrose-seeking but not saccharin-seeking behavior. These neurons may control sugar overconsumption in obesity and diabetes.
Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Gwenaël
G
Labouèbe
Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Benjamin
B
Boutrel
Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
David
D
Tarussio
Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Bernard
B
Thorens
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000378:metabolism; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012646:Self Administration / Q000379:methods; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism*
D013395:Sucrose; D005947:Glucose