6/17担当の野口（神経科学研究部 訪問研究員）です。
当日は、下記の論文を紹介させて頂く予定です。

Morales I and Berridge KC. Optogenetic Hedonic Hotspots in the
Orbitofrontal Cortex and Insula: Causing Enhancement of Sweetness “
Liking”. J Neurosci. 2026 Apr 22;46(16):e0865252026. doi: 10.1523/
JNEUROSCI.0865-25.2026.
PMID: 41839573

PDFは、こちらです。

Abstract；
Hedonic hotspots are localized brain sites where appropriate
stimulations can amplify the hedonic impact of palatable tastes,
measured as increases in affective orofacial “liking” reactions to
sweetness in rodents. Previously, two cortical hedonic hotspots in the
orbitofrontal cortex and insula were identified using opioid or orexin
microinjections as neurochemical manipulations. Here we used optogenetic
stimulation in male and female rats to independently confirm the sites
and boundaries of two cortical hedonic hotspots, as well as their
special hedonic enhancement functions. We report that channelrhodopsin
stimulations within the two hedonic hotspots of rostral orbitofrontal
and caudal insula each doubled the number of hedonic “liking” reactions
elicited by sucrose taste. Additionally, we confirmed that an
intervening suppressive hedonic coldstrip stretches between them, where
stimulation reduced “liking” reactions. In contrast to the localization
of hedonic hotspots for “liking” enhancement, motivational “wanting” for
reward, measured as laser self-stimulation, was mediated by more widely
distributed cortical sites in both hotspots and coldstrip.
Keywords: insula; optogenetics; orbitofrontal cortex; reward; “liking”;
“wanting”.

よろしくお願い致します。

野口　淳