what part of the brain controls hunger

The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that controls hunger. It is a small part of the brain located in the forebrain. The hypothalamus regulates hunger by triggering the release of hormones that signal the body to eat or stop eating. Eating triggers an increase in serotonin and dopamine, which can create hunger cues. The amygdala is another brain area that regulates appetite with response to emotions. Additionally, cells in the hypothalamus region of the brain, specifically agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons, control hunger and regulate both feeding behaviors and non-feeding behaviors like reward-seeking and offspring-parent bonding, among others. The targets of the MCH and orexin neurons, which are also located in the hypothalamus, include the trigeminal, facial, and hypoglossal motor nuclei that control licking, chewing, and swallowing.