Food odour recognition is involved in the food anticipatory response. A study in Nature Metabolism describes how the olfactory system differentially regulates metabolic adaptations depending on energy availability. These effects are mediated by a brain circuit involving the melanocortin system that controls systemic lipid utilization via the sympathetic nervous system.
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Prevot, V., Nogueiras, R. Food odour recognition adjusts systemic metabolism to nutrient availability. Nat Rev Endocrinol 19, 130–131 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-022-00801-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-022-00801-4
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