Central Regulation of Feeding Behavior and the Cross-Talk Between Stress and Appetite in Mammals and Birds

The regulation of food intake is important for the animals to ensure optimal nutrition and meet their metabolic requirements. Feeding behavior is tightly regulated by neuronal, metabolic and endocrine signals to the central nervous system (CNS). Signaling pathways in the CNS that mediate orexigenic and anorexigenic effects by neuropeptides have been well characterized in both mammalian and avian species. Although most of the neuropeptides induce similar effects in birds as they do in mammals in terms of feeding mechanisms, species-specific divergences remain, with several neuropeptides displaying substantially attenuated or even opposite effects. In addition to neuropeptides, the regulatory role of brain amino acids is increasingly being elucidated in the control of feeding behavior using the chick model. Understanding the mechanisms that control feeding behavior in juvenile animals is critical owing to the substantial impact of early developmental stage on growth and health across species. Nevertheless, the mechanism of the central regulation of appetite at this stage is still unclear. Candidates of feeding regulators including neuropeptides and endogenous and/or exogenous nutrients such as amino acids are hypothesized to simultaneously collaborate to control feeding behavior of neonatal chicks with a short eating cycle. This concept may be applicable to attain further insights on appetite biology across species, due to the fact that eating interval during the neonatal stage is much shorter than in the adult stage regardless of mammals or birds. Furthermore, adaptation to stress involves both behavioral and physiological changes in the CNS, including stress-induced modulation of feeding behavior. Therefore, elucidating the integrated neural networks controlling behavior is essential. This Research Topic explores mechanisms underneath the physiological control of appetite and satiety, encompassing interaction with stress-related modulation. We highlight the importance of the control of feeding behavior in the early stage of growth. This collection is expected to provide insights into the functional roles of neuropeptides, brain amino acids and their metabolites, and other appetite-regulating neuroendocrine factors acting within the central and peripheral nervous system as well as their potential interactions to better understand the appetite biology. We encourage contributions in the following areas:1. The functional role of brain amino acid metabolism in the regulation of food intake at neonatal stage2. Central control mechanisms of feeding behavior in early life across mammalian and avian species3. The interactions between feeding regulators within the central and peripheral nervous system4. The cross-talk between stress and feeding behavior5. Mechanism-driven intervention strategies targeting central pathways that regulate appetite and stress Topic editors: Tetsuya Tachibana, Mark Andrew Cline, Phuong V Tran Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77641/central-regulation-of-feeding-behavior-and-the-cross-talk-between-stress-and-appetite-in-mammals-and-birds