Addison Colaianne
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Martin Myers Jr
Research Mentor School/College/Department: / Medicine
Program:
Authors: Addison Colaianne, Marc-Antonio Padilla
Session: Session 6: 3:40 pm – 4:30 pm
Poster: 23
Abstract
The brainstem contains a structure named the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) that is the core of appetite control and satiation signaling. Through prior single nucleus RNA-sequencing of the DVC, the Myers lab has identified DVC neuron populations likely involved in appetite and metabolism. Findings indicate that Cck, which was previously used to mark neurons that mediate the aversive suppression of food intake, maps to multiple snRNA-seq-defined nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) populations including the novel Rxfp1 and Vglut3 neuron populations. This project investigates these Rxfp1 and Vglut3 expressing neuron populations in the NTS of the DVC and aims to characterize the role of these populations in the control of appetite. To characterize the function of these neurons, we will stimulate them using a chemogenetic activation model and silence the neurons using a tetrodotoxin synaptic silencing model. Specifically, using these models we will conduct FOS immunoreactivity studies in response to fasted and refed feeding conditions, acute and chronic food intake studies, conditioned taste aversion, and tracing studies. Ultimately, these studies will define NTS neuron populations that contribute to the long-term control of energy balance and identify the NTS population(s) that mediate aversive responses, thereby revealing salient neuron populations to target for the non-aversive treatment of obesity.
