A lateral hypothalamic neuronal population expressing leptin receptors counteracts anxiety to enable adaptive behavioral responses

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 20 October 2025; doi:10.1038/s41593-025-02078-y

Figge-Schlensok et al. show that leptin-sensitive neurons in the lateral hypothalamus encode anxiogenic stimuli and facilitate adaptive strategies to enable an animal to overcome anxiety in threatening situations.