Gustatory perception regulates the behavioral response to starvation. Nancy J. Linford, Scott D. Pletcher. Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

   Starvation stress rapidly leads to death. Upon starvation, a behavioral switch is initiated that promotes sleep loss. This behavioral change facilitates a shift in resources away from homeostasis and toward activities that promote survival or reproduction. When feeding is re-initiated, the information indicating nutritional success must be relayed to neuronal sleep regulatory centers to promote the return to normal sleep homeostasis. Little is known about how this information is relayed. We were interested in determining the role of sensory perception in regulating starvation-induced sleep loss. We have determined that gustatory perception is sufficient to promote normal sleep homeostasis in the absence of nutrition. Furthermore, under conditions of low nutrient availability, gustatory perception is also required to suppress starvation-induced sleep loss. However, under conditions of high nutrient availability, gustatory-independent nutrient perception is capable of terminating starvation-induced sleep loss. This work establishes the gustatory system as a crucial component of behavioral regulation under conditions of nutrient stress. It also delineates a concentration-dependent redundant role for gustatory-independent perception in regulating nutrient-dependent behavior. These findings provide insight into potential mechanisms for all organisms, including humans, to overcome behavioral side effects during periods of short-term nutrient stress.