Triglyceride-sensing in the mesocorticolimbic system and reward-driven behaviour control

Obesity spreading is due to an imbalance of energy homeostasis, with excessive consumption of sweet and fat food, and sedentary lifestyles. Food intake partly depends on dopamine release in the mesocorticolimbic system, and calorie-rich hedonic food, among other objects of desire, stimulate this reward circuit. Dopaminergic release in the mesocorticolimbic system is a main factor for compulsive feeding, and calorie-rich food could be responsible for abnormal feeding behaviours, where excessive food intake is assimilated to MCL malfunctions similar to drugs addiction. More particularly, postprandial triglycerides represent a major source of dietary lipids, and obesity is often associated with hypertriglyceridemia, but also with dopaminergic signalling impairments. Mesocorticolimbic system neurons express several enzymes involved in triglycerides hydrolysis, such as the lipoprotein lipase, suggesting an ability to sense triglycerides and modulate their activity accordingly. The aim of this thesis is to identify cellular and molecular mechanisms by which dietary triglycerides act onto dopaminergic structures and control food intake.