Researching the Metabolic Brain
My research focuses on how the brain senses nutritional status and regulates feeding behavior, metabolism, and body weight. Our work led to the discovery that the hormone FGF21 targets the brain to coordinate the adaptive response to protein restriction, thereby regulating growth, metabolism, food choice, and motivation.
Current Position
Associate Executive Director for Basic Science
Endowed Professorship
John S. McIlhenny Professor of Nutritional Neuroscience
Affiliation
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Overview of Recent Research
Selected Publications
FGF21 signals through hindbrain neurons to alter food intake and energy expenditure during dietary protein restriction
Spann RA, Kim SQ, Khan MSH, Albarado DA, Fernandez-Kim SO, Berthoud HR, McDougal DH, Münzberg H, He Y, Yu S, Morrison CD
Protein-Restricted Diets and Their Impact on Metabolic Health and Aging
Kim SQ, Spann RA, Hill CM, Berryman CE, Berthoud HR, McDougal DH, He Y, Münzberg H, Yu S, Morrison CD
FGF21 acts in the brain to drive macronutrient-specific changes in behavioral motivation and brain reward signaling
Khan MSH, Kim SQ, Ross RC, Corpodean F, Spann RA, Albarado DA, Fernandez-Kim SO, Clarke B, Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, McDougal DH, He Y, Yu S, Albaugh VL, Soto PL, Morrison CD
FGF21 is required for protein restriction to extend lifespan and improve metabolic health in male mice
Hill CM, Albarado DC, Coco LG, Spann RA, Khan MS, Qualls-Creekmore E, Burk DH, Burke SJ, Collier JJ, Yu S, McDougal DH, Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, Bartke A, Morrison CD
FGF21 and the Physiological Regulation of Macronutrient Preference
Hill CM, Qualls-Creekmore E, Berthoud HR, Soto P, Yu S, McDougal DH, Münzberg H, Morrison CD
FGF21 Signals Protein Status to the Brain and Adaptively Regulates Food Choice and Metabolism
Hill CM, Laeger T, Dehner M, Albarado DC, Clarke B, Wanders D, Burke SJ, Collier JJ, Qualls-Creekmore E, Solon-Biet SM, Simpson SJ, Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, Morrison CD
Blaming the Brain for Obesity: Integration of Hedonic and Homeostatic Mechanisms
Berthoud HR, Münzberg H, Morrison CD
Metabolic responses to dietary protein restriction require an increase in FGF21 that is delayed by the absence of GCN2
Laeger T, Albarado DC, Burke SJ, Trosclair L, Hedgepeth JW, Berthoud HR, Gettys TW, Collier JJ, Münzberg H, Morrison CD
FGF21 is an endocrine signal of protein restriction
Laeger T, Henagan TM, Albarado DC, Redman LM, Bray GA, Noland RC, Münzberg H, Hutson SM, Gettys TW, Schwartz MW, Morrison CD