Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 2:00 pm EDT
Dr Adhikari's team has discovered a small group of neurons in the midbrain that potently controls food-seeking. Experimental activation of these neurons leads mice that are not hungry to ingest caloric foods. Suppressing the same neurons suppresses feeding in mice that are hungry. It may be possible that pathological over- and under- activation of these neurons produces behaviors seen, respectively, in human binge eating and anorexia. The team's ongoing research indicates these same neurons may contribute to weight loss promoted by drugs such as Ozempic. Dr. Adhikari will discuss these findings and what they may suggest about eating disorders.
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Presented by
Assistant Professor, Psychology
Member, Brain Research Institute, Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology GPB Home Area, Neuroscience GPB Home Area
University of California, Los Angeles
2014 Young Investigator Grant
Dr. Adhikari joined UCLA’s Psychology Department in 2016, following postdoctoral training at Stanford University with Prof. Karl Deisseroth and Ph.D. studies at Columbia University with Prof. Joshua A. Gordon and Prof. Rene Hen.
Dr. Adhikari’s lab investigates how the brain coordinates the constellation of changes related to emotional behaviors, with a focus on fear and anxiety. These multi-faceted changes involve complex and dynamic adaptations in hormonal, physiological and behavioral realms. Dr. Adhikari dissects how interactions between different brain structures control these processes, seeking insights that shed light on the neural basis of pathological anxiety disorders and adaptive aversion to danger. To do so we use a combination of powerful techniques, including electrophysiology, behavioral assays, optogenetics and calcium imaging to monitor and control neural activity and behavior.
Learn more about our research at his lab website.
Moderated by
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., serves as the President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the largest private funder of mental health research grants. Dr. Borenstein developed the Emmy-nominated public television program “Healthy Minds,” and serves as host and executive producer of the series. The program, broadcast nationwide, is available online, and focuses on topics in psychiatry in order to educate the public, reduce stigma and offer a message of hope. Dr. Borenstein served as Editor-in-Chief of Psychiatric News, the newspaper of the American Psychiatric Association from 2012 - 2023.
Dr. Borenstein is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and serves as the Chair of the Section of Psychiatry at the Academy. He also has served as the President of the New York State Psychiatric Association. Dr. Borenstein earned his undergraduate degree at Harvard and his medical degree at New York University.
