About this Research Topic
Besides being building blocks for tissue growth and as a fuel for cellular and tissue function, nutrients also have other functions such as regulating feed intake, digestion, metabolism, behavior, and cognition. This understanding has resulted in increased research emphasis on the role of functional nutrients on health and performance in animals over the past decade. There is great potential for development of diet formulations containing functional nutrients to improve efficiency of nutrient utilization.
The aim of this Research Topic is to characterize how specific nutrients influence feed intake, digestion, metabolism, behavior, or cognition and to examine the potential of using functional nutrients to strategically enhance animal health and/or performance.
Contributions are welcome that address or explore effects of nutrients on:
• Feeding behavior and intake
• Anaerobic fermentation and microbial metabolism in the gastrointestinal tract
• Digestive function/expression and activity of digestive enzymes and transporters
• Digesta passage rate
• Gastrointestinal neuropeptide release and signaling
• Tissue and cellular growth and turnover
• Tissue and cellular energy and nutrient utilization
• Tissue and cellular immune function
• Behavior and cognition
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
