Zhe Zhao, Ana Covelo, Yoni Couderc, Arojit Mitra, Marjorie Varilh, Yifan Wu, Débora Jacky, Rim Fayad, Astrid Cannich, Luigi Bellocchio, Giovanni Marsicano, Anna Beyeler
The insular cortex, or insula, is a large brain region involved in the detection of thirst and the regulation of water intake. However, our understanding of the topographical, circuit, and molecular mechanisms for controlling water intake within the insula remains parcellated. We found that type-1 cannabinoid (CB1 ) receptors in the insular cortex cells participate in the regulation of water intake and deconstructed the circuit mechanisms of this control. Topographically, we revealed that the activity of excitatory neurons in both the anterior insula (aIC) and posterior insula (pIC) increases in response to water intake, yet only the specific removal of CB1 receptors in the pIC decreases water intake...
April 15, 2024: Current Biology: CB