AgRP neurons encode circadian feeding time.

Nilufer Sayar-Atasoy, Iltan Aklan, Yavuz Yavuz, Connor Laule, Hyojin Kim, Jacob Rysted, Muhammed Ikbal Alp, Debbie Davis, Bayram Yilmaz, Deniz Atasoy

Nature neuroscience 2024 Jan

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Food intake follows a predictable daily pattern and synchronizes metabolic rhythms. Neurons expressing agouti-related protein (AgRP) read out physiological energetic state and elicit feeding, but the regulation of these neurons across daily timescales is poorly understood. Using a combination of neuron dynamics measurements and timed optogenetic activation in mice, we show that daily AgRP-neuron activity was not fully consistent with existing models of homeostatic regulation. Instead of operating as a 'deprivation counter', AgRP-neuron activity primarily followed the circadian rest-activity cycle through a process that required an intact suprachiasmatic nucleus and synchronization by light. Imposing novel feeding patterns through time-restricted food access or periodic AgRP-neuron stimulation was sufficient to resynchronize the daily AgRP-neuron activity rhythm and drive anticipatory-like behavior through a process that required DMHPDYN neurons. These results indicate that AgRP neurons integrate time-of-day information of past feeding experience with current metabolic needs to predict circadian feeding time. © 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.

Citation

Nilufer Sayar-Atasoy, Iltan Aklan, Yavuz Yavuz, Connor Laule, Hyojin Kim, Jacob Rysted, Muhammed Ikbal Alp, Debbie Davis, Bayram Yilmaz, Deniz Atasoy. AgRP neurons encode circadian feeding time. Nature neuroscience. 2024 Jan;27(1):102-115