Mind-Brain connections of food intake
All of our thoughts and feelings depend on neuronal activity in the brain. The neurons process information by communicating with each other in circuits. As words are put together in sentences by grammar mental states such as thoughts and feelings may be understood as neuronal circuits organizing brain inputs in a defined order. Lagerlöf Lab studies information processing on a molecular, circuit, behavioral and cognitive level to elucidate how the brain is connected to specific mental states and the mind. Our focus is those mental states that regulate food intake, in particular satiation or the idea at the end of a meal that we’ve had enough food. We also apply our investigation of basic mechanisms to how mistakes in information processing may lead to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and obesity.
Caloric regulation of synaptic plasticity
Neurons communicate over cell-cell junctions called synapses. Synapses are highly dynamic such that their number and function can change. This synaptic plasticity sculpts neuronal circuits controlling how they process information. We and others have shown that nutrients and metabolic hormones regulate synaptic plasticity. Now we aim to identify molecular mechanisms by which calories affect synaptic plasticity and thus impact information processing in the brain.
Mapping neuronal circuitry mediating food intake
Neurons regulating food intake are spread out over the brain. While they all are play a specific role, it is the communication between them that determines when, what and how much the individual eats. We map what neurons interact with each other and interrogate how they communicate to identify the structure and function of neuronal circuits that regulate good intake.
Feeding behavior and feeding disorders
While food intake is a question of when, what and how much you eat, the feeding behavior mediating consumption functions in a context of emotions, memories, caloric state, social interaction, surrounding environment and many other aspects that may affect the individual’s state of mind. We study how these different aspects interact and how they may contribute to the development and treatment of feeding disorders such as anorexia nervosa and obesity.
Cognitive mechanisms of information integration
How does the brain synthesize information? In our other projects we study this question on a molecular, neuronal and behavioral level. Here we study cognitive mechanisms of information processing in humans.