The hypocretin/orexin (Hcrt/Orx) system in the perifornical lateral hypothalamus has been recognized as a critical node in a complex network of neuronal systems controlling both physiology and behavior in vertebrates. Our understanding of the Hcrt/Orx system and its array of functions and actions has grown exponentially in merely 2 decades. This review will examine the latest progress in discerning the roles played by the Hcrt/Orx system in regulating homeostatic functions and in executing instinctive and learned behaviors. Furthermore, the gaps that currently exist in our knowledge of sex-related differences in this field of study are discussed.
Keywords: homeostasis; hypocretin/orexin; lateral hypothalamic area (LHA); motivational behavior; sex-related difference; social behavior.
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