Potato chips, French fries, popcorn—whichever your preference, we all know that salt is a key component of many tasty foods. But eating too much salt has potential health risks and can lead to cardiovascular and cognitive disorders. Now, Caltech researchers in the lab of Yuki Oka, an assistant professor of biology and Chen Scholar, have identified neurons that drive and quench salt cravings in the mouse brain.
The findings are an entry point into regulating sodium cravings in humans.