A neural substrate for sugar preference
AssigneeThe Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
InventorsCharles Zuker, Ryan T. Lessard, Yossef Goffer
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Abstract
This invention concerns a composition and a method of modulating the craving and/or desire for natural sugar in a subject comprising: agonizing or stimulating or antagonizing or silencing a selective group of neurons in the cadual nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) of the brain in the subject, whether directly or via the gut or gut-brain axis.
Claims26
A method of modulating the craving and/or desire for natural sugar in a subject, comprising agonizing or stimulating a selective group of neurons in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) of the brain in the subject, either directly or via the gut or gut-brain axis.
A method of modulating the craving and/or desire for natural sugar in a subject, comprising antagonizing or silencing a selective group of neurons in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) of the brain in the subject, either directly or via the gut or gut-brain axis.
A composition for modulating the craving and/or desire for natural sugar, wherein the composition antagonizes or silences a selective group of neurons in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) of the brain in the subject, either directly or via the gut or gut-brain axis.
A composition for modulating the craving and/or desire for natural sugar, wherein the composition agonizes or stimulates a selective group of neurons in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) of the brain in the subject, either directly or via the gut or gut-brain axis.
A method for identifying a composition or agent for modulating the craving or desire for natural sugar, comprising:
- a) administering a natural sugar to a mouse;
- b) detecting neural activity in the neurons in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) of the brain;
- c) administering the composition or agent to the mouse;
- d) detecting neural activity in the neurons in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) of the brain;
- e) comparing the activity in step (d) with the activity in step (b),
- wherein a decrease or less activity in step (d) as compared to step (b) indicates that the agent or composition is decreasing the craving or desire for natural sugar, and an increase or more activity in step (d) as compared to step (b) indicates the agent or composition is increasing the craving or desire for natural sugar.
A method of increasing an individual's preference for a consumer product which comprises adding to said consumer product a non-metabolizable sugar analog capable of activating a gut-brain sweet preference circuit in an amount effective to activate such circuit.
A method of maintaining an individual's preference for a consumer product while reducing, its metabolizable sugar content which comprises adding to said consumer product a non-metabolizable, sugar analog capable of activating a gut-brain sweet preference circuit in an amount effective to activate such circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.