Researchers Rouse Brain Cells that Control Eating Behavior in Mice

By illuminating key nerve cells that regulate feeding behavior, researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Farm Research Campus have discovered how to prod mice to eat voraciously—or sparingly—thanks to a radiant new technology.The scientists created mice whose brain cells can be activated with a beam of light. Hitting one type of neuron drives the animals to their food bowls within minutes, whereas targeting a different type makes them abstain, the researchers found. The findings were published online January 5, 2011, in the journal Nature Neuroscience.Read more at...HHMI News, January 2011.