Motivation Reward and Longevity as Influenced by Serotonin Dopamine and Metabolism
Dr. Lyu’s lab aims to unravel how the ancient drive for food is encoded and how it influences longevity. For nearly a century, it has been appreciated that caloric restriction can slow aging. Recently, it has become increasingly apparent that not only calories matter, but also the neurological processes related to eating may influence lifespan and health. Drosophila melanogaster, or fruit flies, are capable of choosing what to eat, similar to humans. Using these tiny insects, Dr. Lyu previously discovered that the decision-making process itself, irrespective of the food ingested, influences lifespan through largely unknown mechanisms. By using modern techniques such as optogenetics and metabolomics, he will manipulate specific neuron groups involved in hunger and reward to understand their impact on longevity and metabolic reprogramming. Dr. Lyu’s study will promote a better understanding of how neural signaling, along with the accompanying neurobiological and psychological processes, impacts aging and overall health.
