How food and water intake is reciprocally regulated to maintain homeostasis is unclear. New findings by Jourjine and colleagues identify four neurons in the Drosophila brain that receive both water and sugar abundance signals and oppositely regulate hunger and thirst.

Do affective responses to odors vary as a function of culture? To address this question, we developed two self-report scales in the United Kingdom (Liverpool: LEOS) and in Singapore (city of Singapore: SEOS), following the same procedure as used in the past to develop the Geneva Emotion and Odor Scale (GEOS: Chrea, Grandjean, Delplanque et al., 2009). The final scales were obtained by a three-s...

Neurons of the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT) are necessary for thirst and vasopressin secretion during hypersmolality in rodents. Recent evidence suggests the osmosensitivity of these neurons is mediated by a gene product encoding the transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) channel. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether mice lacking the TRPV1 ch...

i~~yavas~ula~ Juid vohme following acute hypovolemia in rats. Am. 3. Physiol. 218(l): 191496. 1970.-Subcutaneous injection of hyperoncotic polyethylene glycol (PC) solution produced hypovolemia in rats by gradually withdrawing isosmotic plasma fluid into the local interstitium, Significant drinking was observed for 6-8 hr, although water ingestion subsequently diminished despite persistent hypo...

Hyperphagia and obesity occur following bilateral destruction of the ventromedial region of the hypothalamus.4" On the other hand, bilateral destruction in the lateral area leads to anorexia and death."2 In the rat, the ventromedial lesions also produce a reduced water/food intake ratio, a delayed excretion of a water load, increased tubular reabsorption of water,14 and a small but significant ...

Cravings for food as appetite and hunger is a healthy reflex reaction to the body’s need for nutriment, just as thirst is the subjective physiological reaction to dehydration. Hypothalamic neuro-peptides released in response to nutritional demands affect brain circuits driving hunger. Unusual cravings for non-nutritive foods or uncontrollable desires for odd choices or combinations of food may ...