The Betley Lab at UPenn
@betleylab.bsky.social
The Betley lab at Penn is focused on understanding how signaling between the body and the brain control our needs and behaviors that add up to influence our overall health. Applications in #metabolism, #feeding, #pain, #addiction and #mentalhealth
Thanks to all of our collaborators and funding and congratulations to all the authors who were a fantastic team. In particular, Nitsan Goldstein for the creativity and determination that were vital to this entire project and publication.
October 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Thanks to all of our collaborators and funding and congratulations to all the authors who were a fantastic team. In particular, Nitsan Goldstein for the creativity and determination that were vital to this entire project and publication.
Implications? We think persistent Y1R neural activity represents a neurophysiological signature of enduring pain and can be used as a physiological biomarker for therapies designed to reduce chronic pain.
October 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Implications? We think persistent Y1R neural activity represents a neurophysiological signature of enduring pain and can be used as a physiological biomarker for therapies designed to reduce chronic pain.
With Amadeus Maus and Ann Kennedy, we built a model to quantify pain-state in animal models. Animals perform coping behaviors to alleviate perceived pain. This model shows persistent Y1R neural activity resembles modeled pain and competing need signals integrate at Y1R neurons to reduce pain.
October 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM
With Amadeus Maus and Ann Kennedy, we built a model to quantify pain-state in animal models. Animals perform coping behaviors to alleviate perceived pain. This model shows persistent Y1R neural activity resembles modeled pain and competing need signals integrate at Y1R neurons to reduce pain.
We identified multiple ‘pain-killing’ circuits in the brain that suppress pain by release of NPY in the PBN. Thus the brain has an efficient, tunable biological system whereby increased NPY in the PBN suppresses lasting pain.
October 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM
We identified multiple ‘pain-killing’ circuits in the brain that suppress pain by release of NPY in the PBN. Thus the brain has an efficient, tunable biological system whereby increased NPY in the PBN suppresses lasting pain.
These Y1R neurons are anatomically and molecularly heterogeneous – instead they form a functionally defined ensemble that transcends discrete molecularly and anatomically defined populations.
October 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM
These Y1R neurons are anatomically and molecularly heterogeneous – instead they form a functionally defined ensemble that transcends discrete molecularly and anatomically defined populations.
In the study we found neurons in the hindbrain (Y1R neurons) that broadcast a message of enduring pain state. These neurons may underlie the chronic unpleasantness of pain that is a widespread clinical problem.
October 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM
In the study we found neurons in the hindbrain (Y1R neurons) that broadcast a message of enduring pain state. These neurons may underlie the chronic unpleasantness of pain that is a widespread clinical problem.
Read more about our discoveries:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#ExercisePhysiology #Neuroscience #BrainHealth #MetabolicHealth #Collaboration #Research #BetleyLab
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#ExercisePhysiology #Neuroscience #BrainHealth #MetabolicHealth #Collaboration #Research #BetleyLab
Cellular and synaptic reorganization of arcuate NPY/AgRP and POMC neurons after exercise
Hypothalamic Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and Neuropeptide Y/Agouti-Related Peptide (NPY/AgRP) neurons are critical nodes of a circuit within the brain…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 13, 2025 at 8:07 PM
or what the NIH transmitter had to say about it here: www.nih.gov/news-events/...
Why you feel full after eating
Researchers identified brain cells that help suppress hunger and regulate food intake. The findings may help lead to better treatments for excessive eating and obesity.
www.nih.gov
August 8, 2025 at 2:28 PM
or what the NIH transmitter had to say about it here: www.nih.gov/news-events/...
Read the full story here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reverse-translational identification of a cerebellar satiation network - Nature
Activity in anterior deep cerebellar nuclei reduces food consumption in mice without reducing metabolic rate, potentially identifying a therapeutic target for disorders involving excessive eating.
www.nature.com
August 8, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Read the full story here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Read more about our discoveries:
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
scholar.google.com/citations?vi...
#PainManagement #Neuroimmunology #Homeostasis #ScientificDiscovery #Neuroscience #BetleyLab
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
scholar.google.com/citations?vi...
#PainManagement #Neuroimmunology #Homeostasis #ScientificDiscovery #Neuroscience #BetleyLab
A Neural Circuit for the Suppression of Pain by a Competing Need State
Hunger suppresses responses to pain through an AgRP/NPY circuit.
www.cell.com
August 5, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Access the papers:
2017: www.cell.com/cell-reports...
2019: www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
2021: www.cell.com/cell-metabol...
(all our papers can be found on our new website: web.sas.upenn.edu/betley-lab/p...)
2017: www.cell.com/cell-reports...
2019: www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
2021: www.cell.com/cell-metabol...
(all our papers can be found on our new website: web.sas.upenn.edu/betley-lab/p...)
Nutritive, Post-ingestive Signals Are the Primary Regulators of AgRP Neuron Activity
Su et al. demonstrate that nutrient content in the GI tract is rapidly signaled to
hypothalamic neurons activated by hunger. This rapid effect is mediated by three satiation
signals that synergistical...
www.cell.com
July 31, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Access the papers:
2017: www.cell.com/cell-reports...
2019: www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
2021: www.cell.com/cell-metabol...
(all our papers can be found on our new website: web.sas.upenn.edu/betley-lab/p...)
2017: www.cell.com/cell-reports...
2019: www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
2021: www.cell.com/cell-metabol...
(all our papers can be found on our new website: web.sas.upenn.edu/betley-lab/p...)
We’re also launching our new and improved lab website – check it out here: web.sas.upenn.edu/betley-lab/
Betley Lab |
web.sas.upenn.edu
July 28, 2025 at 12:35 PM
We’re also launching our new and improved lab website – check it out here: web.sas.upenn.edu/betley-lab/