Astrocytes as appetite‑control targets

A PNAS study in mice finds that tanycyte‑derived lactate signals are detected by hypothalamic astrocytes, which then release chemical signals that activate fullness neurons and potentially suppress hunger neurons. If conserved in humans, astrocytes could become drug targets alongside GLP‑1 therapies for obesity and appetite disorders. — Identifying non‑neuronal brain cells (astrocytes) as active regulators of appetite broadens therapeutic targets and reframes debates about obesity treatment, drug coverage, and biomedical research priorities.