Dissecting a novel prefrontal cortical pathway regulating feeding behavior

PROJECT NARRATIVE Overeating is a significant cause of obesity, but it is unclear what drives the behavior. Human imaging studies investigating obesity indicate a role for the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain involved in executive functions, like decision making and learning associations. In this study, I will probe subpopulations of cells and neural circuits in the medial prefrontal cortex using novel mouse models and cutting-edge neuroscience techniques to directly study decision making related to food which will provide novel cell-type and specific circuit-based targets to lay the groundwork for pharmacologic and non-invasive interventions to treat obesity and its associated conditions.