Glucose Sensing in the Hepatic Portal Vein and Its Role in Food Intake and Reward

The detection of nutrients in the gut influences ongoing and future feeding behavior as well as the development of food preferences. In addition to nutrient sensing in the intestine, the hepatic portal vein plays a considerable role in detecting ingested nutrients and conveying this information to brain nuclei involved in metabolism, learning, and reward. Here, we review mechanisms underlying hepatic portal vein sensing of nutrients, particularly glucose, and how this is relayed to the brain to influence feeding behavior and reward. We additionally highlight several gaps where future research can provide new insights into the effects of portal nutrients on neural activity in the brain and feeding behavior.