The Neuroscience of Consumption

How does the brain assign value to nutrients that are sensed only after ingestion? How are internal bodily signals integrated with external cues to shape learning and decision-making? How do internal states such as hunger and thirst dynamically reconfigure neural circuits to guide behavior?

The Gong Lab studies the neural basis of interoception, with a particular focus on how the brain senses and learns from internal bodily signals. Using feeding behavior in mice as an entry point, we combine cutting-edge systems neuroscience approaches to link neural activity, circuit architecture, and behavior. Our goal is to understand how internal states are encoded, updated through experience, and ultimately used to guide adaptive actions.