Reward signalling under metabolic fluctuations: an investigation of reward homeostasis interactions

Food intake is regulated by two complementary drives: the body’s internal state (homeostasis) and the reward associated with food intake (hedonics). Research in mice has identified circuits in the brain securing the balance between the two drives. These circuits rely on hormonal and neural input from the body to update the value of food and motivate eating behavior. It is however unknown, if the insights obtained in mice translates to humans. The overall purpose of the RewardFlux project is to study how differences in internal states modulates the reward value of food and shape human food-seeking behavior. The project will bridge a gap between fundamental biological research and applied research in human physiology, and lead to causal insights into how the human brain balances energy intake and expenditure. This knowledge can be used to advance the prevention and treatment of obesity and eating disorders, and reveal how drugs affect human energy control.