Research Interests
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- Gut-brain mechanisms underlying substance use disorder
- intestine
- vagus nerve
- obesity
- alcohol
- behavior
Research Synopsis
A delicious meal is one of the most satisfying experiences. Ingesting fats, sugars, and alcohol induces reward signals in the brain that promote continued intake. While the brain responds to these signals, the gatekeepers of food and alcohol stimuli reside inside the intestine. Inside the gut, specialized sensory cells detect the presence of stimuli in the intestine and communicate to the brain. Though studies have focused on gut hormones released in response to nutrient stimuli entering the intestine, endocrine signals mediate behavioral events that take minutes to hours and lack the topographical specificity conserved across neuroepithelial sensory transduction systems. In recent years, two discoveries have shown that in addition to their hormonal function, gut endocrine cells also form synapses with cranial nerves, including the vagus nerve connecting the gut and the brain. These gut epithelial cells that form synapses are known as neuropod cells. The Rupprecht lab studies how neuropod cells drive ingestive behavior for food and alcohol.
Publications
View complete list of publications in NCBI library
