CRFR1 -- only for emergencies

In the face of stress, our body diverts metabolic resources to its emergency response. It has been thought that the sympathetic nervous system - the body's instinctive system for reacting to stress - directs this activity, but Weizmann Institute of Science research now shows that neurons in the brain have a surprising role to play. The findings, which recently appeared in Cell Metabolism, may, in the future aid in developing better drugs for such stress-related pathologies as eating disorders.