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Zsembik L, Oldroyd P, Chen R. Interoceptive modulation of emotions. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2025; 92:103049. [PMID: 40378580 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2025.103049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2025] [Accepted: 04/20/2025] [Indexed: 05/19/2025]
Abstract
The metaphorical use of the heart to represent emotions has been documented since our earliest known writings, which reflects a historical recognition of the deep connection between bodily sensations and emotions. However, it remains an active topic of investigation to determine the degree to which bodily physiology modulates emotion states. Recent advances in the neuroscience of interoception-the process by which we sense, interpret, and integrate internal bodily signals and physiology-are uncovering neurobiological mechanisms by which visceral signals can influence emotions. Here we review interoceptive pathways that relay visceral signals to the brain and discuss how these signals influence emotion states as well as challenges and opportunities to better understand interoceptive modulation of emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Zsembik
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Poppy Oldroyd
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Ritchie Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
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Liu CM, Killion EA, Hammoud R, Lu SC, Komorowski R, Liu T, Kanke M, Thomas VA, Cook K, Sivits GN, Ben AB, Atangan LI, Hussien R, Tang A, Shkumatov A, Li CM, Drucker DJ, Véniant MM. GIPR-Ab/GLP-1 peptide-antibody conjugate requires brain GIPR and GLP-1R for additive weight loss in obese mice. Nat Metab 2025:10.1038/s42255-025-01295-w. [PMID: 40301582 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-025-01295-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2025] [Indexed: 05/01/2025]
Abstract
Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) are expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and regulate food intake. Here, we demonstrate that a peptide-antibody conjugate that blocks GIPR while simultaneously activating GLP-1R (GIPR-Ab/GLP-1) requires both CNS GIPR and CNS GLP-1R for maximal weight loss in obese, primarily male, mice. Moreover, dulaglutide produces greater weight loss in CNS GIPR knockout (KO) mice, and the weight loss achieved with dulaglutide + GIPR-Ab is attenuated in CNS GIPR KO mice. Wild-type mice treated with GIPR-Ab/GLP-1 and CNS GIPR KO mice exhibit similar changes in gene expression related to tissue remodelling, lipid metabolism and inflammation in white adipose tissue and liver. Moreover, GIPR-Ab/GLP-1 is detected in circumventricular organs in the brain and activates c-FOS in downstream neural substrates involved in appetite regulation. Hence, both CNS GIPR and GLP-1R signalling are required for the full weight loss effect of a GIPR-Ab/GLP-1 peptide-antibody conjugate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa M Liu
- Department of Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
- Amgen R&D Postdoctoral Fellows Program, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Killion
- Department of Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Rola Hammoud
- The Department of Medicine, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shu-Chen Lu
- Department of Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Renee Komorowski
- Department of Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Tongyu Liu
- Center for Research Acceleration by Digital Innovation, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Matt Kanke
- Department of Research Technologies, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Veena A Thomas
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Cook
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Glenn N Sivits
- Department of Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Aerielle B Ben
- Department of Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Larissa I Atangan
- Department of Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Rajaa Hussien
- Department of Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amy Tang
- Department of Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Artem Shkumatov
- Department of Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chi-Ming Li
- Department of Research Technologies, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel J Drucker
- The Department of Medicine, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Murielle M Véniant
- Department of Cardiometabolic Disorders, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
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Fermani F, Chang S, Mastrodicasa Y, Peters C, Gaitanos L, Alcala Morales PL, Ramakrishnan C, Deisseroth K, Klein R. Food and water intake are regulated by distinct central amygdala circuits revealed using intersectional genetics. Nat Commun 2025; 16:3072. [PMID: 40157920 PMCID: PMC11954953 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58144-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2025] [Indexed: 04/01/2025] Open
Abstract
The central amygdala (CeA) plays a crucial role in defensive and appetitive behaviours. It contains genetically defined GABAergic neuron subpopulations distributed over three anatomical subregions, capsular (CeC), lateral (CeL), and medial (CeM). The roles that these molecularly- and anatomically-defined CeA neurons play in appetitive behavior remain unclear. Using intersectional genetics in mice, we found that neurons driving food or water consumption are confined to the CeM. Separate CeM subpopulations exist for water only versus water or food consumption. In vivo calcium imaging revealed that CeMHtr2a neurons promoting feeding are responsive towards appetitive cues with little regard for their physical attributes. CeMSst neurons involved in drinking are sensitive to the physical properties of salient stimuli. Both CeM subtypes receive inhibitory input from CeL and send projections to the parabrachial nucleus to promote appetitive behavior. These results suggest that distinct CeM microcircuits evaluate liquid and solid appetitive stimuli to drive the appropriate behavioral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Fermani
- Department of Molecules - Signaling - Development, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Simon Chang
- Cellular Neurobiology, Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ylenia Mastrodicasa
- Department of Molecules - Signaling - Development, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Christian Peters
- Department of Molecules - Signaling - Development, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Louise Gaitanos
- Department of Molecules - Signaling - Development, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Pilar L Alcala Morales
- Department of Molecules - Signaling - Development, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
| | | | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Rüdiger Klein
- Department of Molecules - Signaling - Development, Max-Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany.
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Pal T, Harvey S, Levine AS, Olszewski PK, Klockars A. Neuromolecular Basis of Impaired Conditioned Taste Aversion Acquisition in Valproate-Induced Rat Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Genes (Basel) 2025; 16:203. [PMID: 40004532 PMCID: PMC11855024 DOI: 10.3390/genes16020203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2024] [Revised: 01/21/2025] [Accepted: 01/24/2025] [Indexed: 02/27/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), defined by social, behavioral, and cognitive anomalies, is also associated with dysregulated appetite. ASD individuals, often described as "picky eaters", exhibit restricted dietary preferences and a pronounced avoidance of novel foods. This suggests that the perceived safety of specific tastants may be a crucial determinant of dietary acceptance in ASD. Here, we explore the hypothesis that conditioned taste aversion (CTA), a learned avoidance of foods whose intake promotes sickness, is exacerbated in ASD. METHODS We assessed the magnitude of a lithium chloride (LiCl)-induced CTA in the valproic acid (VPA) rat model of autism versus in healthy control rats. We also examined the effect of a standard 3 mEq LiCl dose on transcript and neuronal activation changes in brain circuits mediating feeding behavior and associative learning. RESULTS Surprisingly, we found that while 3 mEq LiCl induced CTA in healthy controls, even the 6 mEq dose was ineffective in generating aversion in VPA rats. LiCl at 3 mEq affected c-Fos immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus and amygdala in controls, whereas in VPA rats it did not produce any c-Fos changes. Gene expression analysis of feeding-related genes (AgRP, NPY, OXT) and those involved in regulating stress and anxiety (DOR and MC3R) were differentially regulated in the VPA rats. Interestingly, transcripts for COMT1, AgRP, OXT, and MC3R were downregulated in saline-treated VPA rats compared to saline-treated controls. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that VPA rats show blunted CTA responsiveness, which is reflected by a differential impact of LiCl on circuits that promote the acquisition of CTA in healthy versus autistic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapasya Pal
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand; (T.P.); (P.K.O.)
| | - Savannah Harvey
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand; (T.P.); (P.K.O.)
| | - Allen S. Levine
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55455, USA;
| | - Pawel K. Olszewski
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand; (T.P.); (P.K.O.)
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55455, USA;
| | - Anica Klockars
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand; (T.P.); (P.K.O.)
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