Vagus and feeding behavior and metabolism
I will discuss the role of the vagus nerve (particularly its subdiaphragmatic branches innervating the gut and associated organs) in the control of appetite and metabolism and as potential targets for obesity and diabetes treatments. I will highlight new insights into gut-to-brain communication made possible through genetics-based manipulation of function-specific populations of vagal afferents and contrast it to humoral gut-brain communication.
Prof Hans-Rudolf Berthoud
Hans-Rudolf Berthoud received his PhD training in physiology and behavior at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH-Z), Switzerland. After postdoctoral training in the Depart
ment of Physiology, University of Western Ontario and the Institute of Molecular Diabetology, University of Geneva, he joined the Department of Psychology, Purdue University. He then moved to the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System in Baton Rouge, where he currently is Professor of Neuroscience, holds the George H. Bray Chair, and directs the Neurobiology of Nutrition & Metabolism Laboratory.
His research interests cover gut-brain communication, the autonomic and enteric nervous systems, the gut microbiome, and brain mechanisms
responsible for the control of appetite and the regulation of energy balance and obesity. His editorial experience includes serving as Co-Executive Editor of Appetite (2008-2014), Associate Editor of Gastroenterology (2016-2022), Editorial Board member of American Journal of Physiology, (Regul) (1999-2014), Journal of Comparative Neurology (2014-present), and International Journal of Obesity (2011-2018).
