嗅覚から食欲への神経回路を解明(Sniffing out hunger: a nose-to-brain connection linked to appetite)

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2025-06-11 マックス・プランク研究所

マックス・プランク代謝研究所の研究チームは、匂いが満腹感を引き起こす新たな脳内回路をマウスで発見しました。食物の匂いが嗅球を通じて中隔中部のグルタミン作動性ニューロンを活性化し、摂食前に満腹信号を発生させます。野生では過食防止に役立つこの機構は、肥満マウスでは機能せず、過食の一因となる可能性があります。肥満治療や体重管理への応用が期待されます。

<関連情報>

食物感受性の嗅覚回路が予期的な満腹感をもたらす A food-sensitive olfactory circuit drives anticipatory satiety

Janice Bulk,Joscha N. Schmehr,Tobias Ackels,Rui de Oliveira Beleza,André Carvalho,Ayden Gouveia,Lionel Rigoux,Vincent Hellier,Anna Lena Cremer,Heiko Backes,Andreas Schaefer & Sophie M. Steculorum
Nature Metabolism  Published:11 June 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-025-01301-1

figure 1

Abstract

Food sensory perception has emerged as a potent regulator of specialized feeding circuits; yet, the consequences on feeding behaviour and the underlying neuronal basis remain poorly understood. Here, we reveal a sensory pathway that co-ordinately integrates food odours to control forthcoming nutrient intake in male mice. Unbiased whole-brain mapping of food odour-induced brain activity revealed a potent activation of the medial septum (MS), where food odours selectively activate MS glutamatergic neurons (MSVGLUT2). Activity dynamics of MSVGLUT2 neurons uncovered a biphasic modulation of their neuronal activity with a transient activation after detection of food odours and a long-lasting inhibition following food ingestion, independent of the caloric value and identity of the food. MSVGLUT2 neurons receive direct projections from the olfactory bulb (OB) and acute optogenetic stimulation of OB→MS projections selectively before food ingestion decreased feeding in lean mice. However, acute OB→MS optogenetic stimulation in diet-induced obese mice failed to reduce feeding, suggesting the involvement of this pathway in calorie-rich diet-induced hyperphagia and obesity development. Altogether, our study uncovered a sensory circuit by which the organism integrates olfactory food cues to prime satiety at the outset of a meal.

医療・健康
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