The interoceptive origins of reward

Affiliation: McGill University, Depts. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Medicine, and Psychology 

Summary: Where do reward signals for food come from? In this lecture I will discuss findings from work in humans and in animals demonstrating that the value of food lies, not in the food itself, the pleasure it evokes or the nutrients it supplies to the body, but rather in the organism’s ability to transform nutrients into vital resources, such as cellular fuel. This information must then reach brain reward circuits to update the value of foods and support reinforcement learning so that both behaviour and metabolism can be optimized.  Experiments will be presented to outline the gut-brain circuits that underlie these processes, and to illustrate their role in perception, behavior and metabolism. Finally, we will consider how the modern food environment impacts gut-brain reinforcement and discuss potential implications for health.

Zoom link: https://queensu.zoom.us/j/92609950615?pwd=V3N1UDRneUliKzY4R25SS1RGelZ0dz09