Role of postprandial microglial inflammatory response in the brain control of eating behaviour – MicroFlamEAT

Systemic inflammation develops with overeating and excessive calorie intake. This chronic nutrition-related inflammation has deleterious effects on the body, promoting the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity or type 2 diabetes. We have recently observed that an acute and brief inflammatory reaction can happen after a single meal in the brain, and in the hypothalamus in particular, a structure that controls food intake. However, biological mediators, underlying mechanisms, and behavioral effects of this cerebral postprandial inflammatory response are completely unknown. The research project entitled MicroFlamEAT aims to provide new knowledge on the central control of energy homeostasis by finely characterizing the postprandial inflammatory response in the hypothalamus and determining its physiological value. We will study its role in eating behavior, in normal and pathological situations.