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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

The Melanin-Concentrating Hormone as an Integrative Peptide Driving Motivated Behaviors

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Author(s):
Diniz, Giovanne B. ; Bittencourt, Jackson C.
Total Authors: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: FRONTIERS IN SYSTEMS NEUROSCIENCE; v. 11, MAY 29 2017.
Web of Science Citations: 20
Abstract

The melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is an important peptide implicated in the control of motivated behaviors. History, however, made this peptide first known for its participation in the control of skin pigmentation, from which its name derives. In addition to this peripheral role, MCH is strongly implicated in motivated behaviors, such as feeding, drinking, mating and, more recently, maternal behavior. It is suggested that MCH acts as an integrative peptide, converging sensory information and contributing to a general arousal of the organism. In this review, we will discuss the various aspects of energy homeostasis to which MCH has been associated to, focusing on the different inputs that feed the MCH peptidergic system with information regarding the homeostatic status of the organism and the exogenous sensory information that drives this system, as well as the outputs that allow MCH to act over a wide range of homeostatic and behavioral controls, highlighting the available morphological and hodological aspects that underlie these integrative actions. Besides the well-described role of MCH in feeding behavior, a prime example of hypothalamic-mediated integration, we will also examine those functions in which the participation of MCH has not yet been extensively characterized, including sexual, maternal, and defensive behaviors. We also evaluated the available data on the distribution of MCH and its function in the context of animals in their natural environment. Finally, we briefly comment on the evidence for MCH acting as a coordinator between different modalities of motivated behaviors, highlighting the most pressing open questions that are open for investigations and that could provide us with important insights about hypothalamic-dependent homeostatic integration. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 16/02748-0 - Study of the anatomical basis for a volume transmission mechanism on the Melanin Concentrating Hormone [MCH] peptidergic system
Grantee:Giovanne Baroni Diniz
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
FAPESP's process: 10/52068-0 - The putative envolvement of melanin-concentrating hormone in the control of lactation
Grantee:Jackson Cioni Bittencourt
Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants