Central and Peripheral Clock Control of Circadian Feeding Rhythms

The presence of feeding rhythms in fruit flies requires molecular clock function in specific brain neurons.

• Molecular clock function in ventrolateral clock neurons of the central brain is essential for generating feeding rhythms.
• The speed of molecular clock oscillations in these neurons influences the length of the feeding rhythm's free-running period.
• Disruption of the molecular clock in the fat body does not affect feeding behavior, indicating its peripheral role.
• Under free-running conditions, molecular clocks in the brain and fat body become out of sync, affecting feeding timing.
• Flies with disrupted clocks in multiple peripheral tissues show decreased feeding rhythm strength and overall food intake.
• Central brain clock cells play a primary role in regulating the timing of feeding behavior.

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