Ventral Pallidal GABAergic Neurons Drive Consumption in Male, But Not Female, Rats.

Food intake is controlled by multiple converging signals: hormonal signals that provide information about energy homeostasis and hedonic and motivational aspects of food and food cues that can drive nonhomeostatic or "hedonic" feeding. The ventral pallidum (VP) is a brain region implicated in the hedonic and motivational impact of food and food cues, as well as consumption of rewards. Disinhibition of VP neurons has been shown to generate intense hyperphagia, or overconsumption.

Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Release From a Unique Subpopulation of Accumbal Neurons Constrains Action-Outcome Acquisition in Reward Learning.

Background: The nucleus accumbens (NAc) mediates reward learning and motivation. Despite an abundance of neuropeptides, peptidergic neurotransmission from the NAc has not been integrated into current models of reward learning. The existence of a sparse population of neurons containing corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) has been previously documented.

CRF release from a unique subpopulation of accumbal neurons constrains action-outcome acquisition in reward learning.

Background: The nucleus accumbens (NAc) mediates reward learning and motivation. Despite an abundance of neuropeptides, peptidergic neurotransmission from the NAc has not been integrated into current models of reward learning. The existence of a sparse population of neurons containing corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) has been previously documented.