"The Neurobiology of Need"

Dr. Sternson is interested in neural circuits that set the ground rules for complex animal behaviors. These circuits sense bodily survival needs, such as energy and nutrient states, and regulate selection of the actions in the outside world that fulfill those needs. His focus is on the neural processes that underlie hunger, which is a fundamental motivational state that is essential for survival but is also a prime culprit in the worldwide obesity epidemic.