ArticleNature communications2025
Liver-innervating vagal sensory neurons are indispensable for the development of hepatic steatosis and anxiety-like behavior in diet-induced obese mice.
Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers.
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Who cites it
30 citing papers in PubMed.
- Review
- Hepatic neurons and metabolically induced liver dysfunction.Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2026Review
- [Pathogenic mechanisms and advances in the diagnosis and treatment of co-occurring psychiatric and psychological symptoms in patients with liver cirrhosis].Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology · 2026Review
- Molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis of MASH.Nature · 2026Review
- Peripheral Neuropathy in Metabolic Stress.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Unveiling the enigma of anxiety disorders and depression: from pathogenesis to treatment.Science China. Life sciences · 2026Review
- Hypothalamic Control of Liver Health and Disease: From Circuits to Pathophysiology and Therapies.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Review
- Neuromodulation using Bioelectronics-enabled therapies to combat insulin resistance and its comorbidities.Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders · 2026Review
- Mechanisms of postpartum metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus.Endocrine connections · 2026Review
- Chronic attenuation of brain leptin signalling is associated with early metabolic dysfunction in lean rats.The Journal of physiology · 2026Article
- Hypothalamus-liver talks: whispers in the language of metabolism.Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders · 2026Review
- Liver-nervous system axis: pathways, dysregulation, and translational perspectives.Journal of neuroinflammation · 2026Review
- The Liver-brain Axis: A Three-stage Model Linking MASLD to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia.Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN · 2026Review
- Optogenetic activation of liver-innervating vagal sensory neurons increases anxiety-like behavior in mice.Translational psychiatry · 2026Article
- Sympathetic and Vagal Distribution in Hepatic Alveolar Echinococcosis and Its Clinical Correlation.Acta parasitologica · 2026Article
- Article
- Real-Time and High-Resolution NIR-II-L Imaging of Netrin-1-Mediated Neurovascular Coupling Driven by Dose-Dependent Electroacupuncture.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- GCGR agonism requires GABAergic signaling in the medial basal hypothalamus to promote weight loss in obese mice.Molecular metabolism · 2026Article
- From Adipose Dysfunction to Multi-Organ Steatosis: Defining the Metabolic Steatotic Axis.Current issues in molecular biology · 2026Review
- Mechanistic insights into the liver-brain axis during chronic liver disease.Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2026Review
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Abstract
The visceral organ-brain axis, mediated by vagal sensory neurons, is essential for maintaining various physiological functions. Here, we investigate the impact of liver-projecting vagal sensory neurons on energy balance, hepatic steatosis, and anxiety-like behavior in mice under obesogenic conditions. A small subset of vagal sensory neurons innervate the liver and project centrally to the nucleus of the tractus solitarius, area postrema, and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, and peripherally to the periportal areas in the liver. The loss of these neurons prevents diet-induced obesity, and these outcomes are associated with increased energy expenditure. Although males and females exhibit improved glucose homeostasis following disruption of liver-projecting vagal sensory neurons, only male mice display increased insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, the loss of liver-projecting vagal sensory neurons limits the progression of hepatic steatosis. Intriguingly, mice lacking liver-innervating vagal sensory neurons also exhibit less anxiety-like behavior compared to control mice. Modulation of the liver-brain axis may aid in designing effective treatments for both psychiatric and metabolic disorders associated with obesity and MAFLD.
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