The hypothalamus as a hub for motivation, reward, and compulsion

The hypothalamus has traditionally been viewed as a regulator of homeostatic functions and survival behaviors. Evidence now identifies the hypothalamus, with the lateral hypothalamus as one key node, as a hub that integrates interoceptive signals with circuits governing motivation, reward, learning, and behavioral selection. Through interactions with mesolimbic, limbic, and cortical networks, hypothalamic circuits shape adaptive behavior and, when dysregulated, can contribute to compulsive responding.

A central challenge is to understand how hypothalamic circuits transform internal state information into motivated behavior and how the same processes give rise to compulsion. Hypothalamic cell populations and neuropeptide systems influence arousal, reinforcement, valuation, and action selection through connections with dopaminergic, limbic, and cortical networks. Homeostatic, reward-related, and compulsive behaviors are often studied separately, yet they rely on overlapping mechanisms. How hypothalamic networks assign motivational significance to internal and external stimuli, bias choice, and drive the shift from goal-directed action to compulsion remains unresolved.

This Research Topic advances understanding of the hypothalamus as a hub linking internal state, motivation, reward, and behavioral control. We welcome studies spanning circuit anatomy, molecular and cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, and behavior. Contributions may use circuit mapping, in vivo recording, and causal manipulations during behavior to show how hypothalamic networks shape motivated behavior and contribute to compulsive responding in health and disease.

Themes of Interest:

Organization and connectivity of hypothalamic circuits in motivation, reward, and behavioral control

Cell-type-specific and neuropeptide mechanisms linking interoceptive signals to motivated behavior

Interactions between hypothalamic, mesolimbic, limbic, and cortical circuits in reward and reinforcement learning

Hypothalamic regulation of motivational salience, behavioral selection, and decision-making

Circuit mechanisms in the transition from goal-directed action to habitual and compulsive behavior

Multi-level analyses of hypothalamic function from cellular mechanisms to behavior

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: hypothalamus, compulsion, homeostasis, adaptive behavior, dopaminergic, limbic, cortical, reward, motivation, interoception, mesolimbic, reinforcement learning

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