Presentation Details
| Metabolic Modulation of Taste Processing in the Brainstem Eirene Markenscoff-Papadimitriou, Deepthi Vasuki, Nilay Yapici. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA |
Abstract
Taste perception plays a central role in shaping feeding behavior, yet how metabolic state modulates early taste processing in the brainstem remains poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine how food deprivation alters the molecular and circuit-level properties of neurons in the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract (rNTS), the first central relay for taste information in the mammalian brain. To address this, we combined RNAscope™ in situ hybridization, nuclear RNA sequencing of fluorescently sorted cell nuclei, and viral-based anterograde and retrograde circuit tracing to profile defined rNTS neuronal populations in mice fed ad libitum or subjected to 24 hours of food deprivation. We found that the majority of taste-responsive rNTS neurons are glutamatergic. Acute food deprivation induced robust, state-dependent changes in rNTS gene expression, including differential regulation of genes associated with synaptic signaling and metabolic responsiveness (false discovery rate <0.05). Circuit mapping revealed convergent local and long-range inputs onto rNTS neurons that undergo hunger-dependent molecular remodeling, identifying a previously unrecognized brainstem connectivity hub. Together, these findings demonstrate that taste processing in the brainstem is highly dynamic and sensitive to metabolic state, establishing the rNTS as an active site where internal state reshapes sensory circuits to regulate homeostatic feeding behavior.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.