Mechanisms for survival: vagal control of goal-directed behavior
Author: Vanessa Teckentrup1, Nils B Kroemer2
Affiliation:
1 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; School of Psychology and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
2 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Section of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: nkroemer@uni-bonn.de.
Conference/Journal: Trends Cogn Sci
Date published: 2023 Nov 29
Other:
Pages: S1364-6613(23)00278-4 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.11.001. , Word Count: 134
Survival is a fundamental physiological drive, and neural circuits have evolved to prioritize actions that meet the energy demands of the body. This fine-tuning of goal-directed actions based on metabolic states ('allostasis') is deeply rooted in our brain, and hindbrain nuclei orchestrate the vital communication between the brain and body through the vagus nerve. Despite mounting evidence for vagal control of allostatic behavior in animals, its broader function in humans is still contested. Based on stimulation studies, we propose that the vagal afferent pathway supports transitions between survival modes by gating the integration of ascending bodily signals, thereby regulating reward-seeking. By reconceptualizing vagal signals as catalysts for goal-directed behavior, our perspective opens new avenues for theory-driven translational work in mental disorders.
Keywords: brainstem; gut–brain interactions; internal states; interoception; motivation.
PMID: 38036309 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.11.001
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