Neural Plasticity in Energy Homeostasis and Obesity

Event Details

Meeting Resources

Executive Summary (PDF, 369.37 KB)

Purpose

The purpose of this workshop is to bring together experts in the neural plasticity of central and peripheral circuits that control food intake, energy homeostasis, and metabolism in healthy and unhealthy states, such as obesity, to review the science, identify knowledge gaps regarding the functional plasticity within these circuits, and identify high priority areas of research that may lead to therapeutic advances for obesity and other disorders related to metabolic dysregulation and food intake.

Background

Obesity and associated metabolic syndromes are major public health concerns. It is increasingly clear that dynamic neural circuits and pathways play critical roles in appetite regulation and energy metabolism. More effective strategies to prevent and treat these conditions require a greater understanding of how obesogenic environmental and physiological conditions alter the neural networks that control appetite, eating, and energy homeostasis.

Registration Deadline

April 12, 2023

Agenda

Day 1: April 13, 2023

9:30 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.

Welcome
Bradley Cooke, Ph.D., Program Director, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases (DEM), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Will Cefalu, M.D., Director, DEM, NIDDK

Workshop Chairs: Carrie Ferrario, Ph.D., University of Michigan; Heike Muenzberg-Gruening, Ph.D., Pennington Biomedical Research Center; and Linda Rinaman, Ph.D., Florida State University

Workshop Overview

9:40 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.

What Do We Really Know About the Neural Systems That Regulate Energy Homeostasis and Control Eating Behavior?
Alan Watts, Ph.D., University of Southern California

Break: 10:20 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.

Session 1 – Plasticity in Chemosensory Signaling
Moderator: Carrie Ferrario, Ph.D., University of Michigan

10:40 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.

Neural Plasticity and Reversibility in the Gustatory System
David Hill, Ph.D., University of Virginia

11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Dietary Modulation of Taste Plasticity: Causes & Consequences
Monica Dus, Ph.D., University of Michigan

11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.

Olfactory Perturbation and Obesity
Debra Fadool, Ph.D., Florida State University

11:40 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.

Taste Signaling and Obesity
Kathryn Medler, Ph.D., University at Buffalo

12:00 p.m. – 12:20 p.m.

Moderated Discussion
All speakers

Break: 12:20 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Session 2 – Plasticity in Visceral Sensory and Humoral Feedback Pathways
Moderator: Heike Muenzberg-Gruening, Ph.D., Pennington Biomedical Research Center

1:05 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.

Plasticity in Peripheral and Central Circuits Mediating Metabolism
Nicholas Betley, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

1:25 p.m. – 1:40 p.m.

Diet-Induced Inflammation and Microbiota-Driven Neural Plasticity
Claire de La Serre, Ph.D., University of Georgia

1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Vagal and Spinal Gastrointestinal Circuit Plasticity
Ivan De Araujo, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

2:05 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.

Neuropod Enteroendocrine Cell Plasticity and Vagal Transmission
Diego Bohorquez, Ph.D., Duke University

2:25 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Moderated Discussion
All speakers

Break: 2:45 p.m. – 3:05 p.m.

Session 3 – Plasticity in Autonomic and Hormonal Pathways
Moderator: Linda Rinaman, Ph.D., Florida State University

3:05 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.

Central and Peripheral GLP1 Signaling
Darleen Sandoval, Ph.D., University of Colorado

3:25 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.

Developmental Modulation of Brainstem Neurocircuits
Kirsteen Browning, Ph.D., Penn State University

3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Pancreatic Innervation and Glucose Homeostasis
Sarah Stanley, Ph.D., Cornell University

4:05 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

Plasticity and Neuropathy in Adipose Innervation
Kristy L. Townsend, Ph.D., The Ohio State University

4:20 p.m. – 4:40 p.m.

Moderated Discussion
All speakers

4:40 p.m.

Wrap-up for Day 1
Diana Cummings, Ph.D., Program Director, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition (DDN), NIDDK

Day 2: April 14, 2023

9:30 a.m. – 9:36 a.m.

Welcome
Padma Maruvada, Ph.D., Program Director, DDN, NIDDK
Stephen James, M.D., Director, DDN, NIDDK

Session 4 – Energy Sensing and Homeostasis: CNS Circuits
Moderator: Heike Muenzberg-Gruening, Ph.D., Pennington Biomedical Research Center

9:40 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.

Integration of Systems Regulating Feeding & Metabolism
Greg Morton, Ph.D., University of Washington

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Synaptic Plasticity in the AgRP/POMC Neural Circuits that Control Hunger
Brad Lowell, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard University

10:20 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.

Developmental Neurobiology of Neural Circuits Controlling Feeding Behavior
Richard Simerly, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

10:40 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.

Hypothalamus and Metabolic Adaptation to Exercise
Kevin Williams, Ph.D., The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

Moderated Discussion
All speakers

Break: 11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.

Session 5 – Neural Plasticity in Feeding-Related Learning & Memory
Moderator: Linda Rinaman, Ph.D., Florida State University

11:40 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.

Diet-Induced Plasticity in Mesolimbic and Ventral Striatal Pathways
Carrie Ferrario, Ph.D., University of Michigan

12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Diet-Induced Plasticity in Frontal Cortex
Stephanie Borgland, Ph.D., University of Calgary

12:20 p.m. – 12:35 p.m.

Hippocampal Pathways: Metabolic State–Dependent Learning
Scott Kanoski, Ph.D., University of Southern California

12:40 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.

Moderated Discussion
All speakers

Lunch: 1:00 p.m. – 1:40 p.m.

Session 6 – Cellular Regulators of Neural Plasticity
Moderator: Carrie Ferrario, Ph.D., University of Michigan

1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Neuro-Glial Interplay in Synaptic Plasticity of Brain Circuits During Metabolic Adaptations
Tamas Horvath, D.V.M., Ph.D., Yale University

2:05 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.

The Role of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor in Glial Cells in the Regulation of Energy Balance
Maribel Rios, Ph.D., Tufts University

2:25 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.

Perturbation of Neuroimmune Homeostasis in Obesity and Metabolic Disease
Alexis Stranahan, Ph.D., Augusta University

2:45 p.m. – 3:05 p.m.

Moderated Discussion
All speakers

Break: 3:05 p.m. – 3:25 p.m.

3:25 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Three breakout sessions focusing on plasticity in Chemosensory and Viscero-Sensory Signaling, Autonomic Pathways, Endocrine Signals, and Non-Neural Cells, and CNS Circuits and Learning/Memory. Attendees may choose which session to attend. The goal will be to develop answers to questions such as, What are major knowledge gaps about plasticity? What resources, model systems, or technological advances are needed?

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Break-out summaries, 5 minutes each

4:35 p.m.

Closing Remarks: Linda Rinaman, Ph.D.

Adjourn: Bradley Cooke, Ph.D.