Curbing Cravings: The Role of Central Amygdala Glp1R Neurons in Reward-Driven Feeding

Obesity and metabolic disorders pose major public health challenges, emphasizing the need to understand the neural circuits regulating feeding behavior. The central amygdala (CeA) integrates emotional and metabolic cues to influence food intake, especially in response to palatable, high-fat diets. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors (GLP1R) are key modulators of feeding, and GLP1R agonists—used to treat type II diabetes and obesity—target CeAGlp1R neurons. However, their role in hedonic, or pleasure-driven, feeding remains unclear. This project investigates how CeAGlp1R neurons contribute to reward-based eating and respond to GLP1R agonists, aiming to uncover novel insights for developing targeted therapies for overeating and obesity.