Animal behavior is shaped by a variety of" internal states"—partially hidden variables that
profoundly shape perception, cognition, and action. The neural basis of internal states, such …

During the past 30 yr, investigating the physiology of eating behaviors has generated a truly
vast literature. This is fueled in part by a dramatic increase in obesity and its comorbidities …

How does cognition regulate innate behaviors? While the cognitive functions of the cortex
have been extensively studied, we know much less about how cognition can regulate innate …

Although the concept of allostasis was proposed some 30 years ago, doubts persist about its
precise meaning and whether it is useful. Here we review the concept in the context of …

Neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) that express agouti‐related peptide
(AgRP) govern a critical aspect of survival: the drive to eat. Equally important to survival is …

The overconsumption of highly caloric and palatable foods has caused a surge in obesity
rates in the past half century, thereby posing a healthcare challenge due to the array of …

Social homeostasis is the ability of individuals to detect the quantity and quality of social
contact, compare it to an established set-point in a command center, and adjust the effort …

Animals continuously weigh hunger and thirst against competing needs, such as social
contact and mating, according to state and opportunity. Yet neuronal mechanisms of sensing …

Despite the potential importance of genital mechanosensation for sexual reproduction, little
is known about how perineal touch influences mating. We explored how mechanosensation …

Body weight is regulated by interoceptive neural circuits that track energy need, but how the
activity of these circuits is altered in obesity remains poorly understood. Here we describe …