An amygdaloreticular pathway promotes motor programs of ingestion.

Activation of the amygdaloreticular pathway induces overeating and ingestion-like behaviors regardless of metabolic need or palatability cues.

• Why it matters: Understanding how animals override internal fullness signals to continue eating is crucial for insights into feeding behavior and related disorders.
• What they did: The study used optogenetics to stimulate CeA projections to the PBN and premotor fields in animals, observing their effects on licking, chewing, and grasping behaviors.
• The result: Stimulation caused animals to overeat and perform ingestion-like actions, revealing a flexible motor network that promotes feeding beyond homeostatic regulation, influenced by context and training.