Desynchrony of the mammalian circadian clock has known detrimental metabolic effects, but how synchronous and desynchronous signals are transmitted is unclear. A new study reports that the hepatic vagal afferent nerve (HVAN) transmits signals to the brain that result in changes in food intake and that ablation of the HVAN can prevent aberrant food intake.

“We previously reported defects in the molecular clock that lead to changes in metabolism when circadian REV-ERB nuclear receptors are non-functional in the liver,” says Mitch Lazar, senior author on the paper. “We decided to see if the liver clock has a role in the effects of time-restricted feeding.”