Researchers are decoding how signals move between body and brain, with implications for how we understand and treat conditions from obesity to anxiety.

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Nature Metabolism, Published online: 12 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s42255-025-01442-3In this Review, Smith et al. summarize the most recent findings on AMPK and emphasize its role as a nutrient sensor and in regulating metabolic homeostasis, as well as how AMPK dysregulation contributes to various diseases.

Human consciousness intertwines awareness and self-recognition, diverging in meaning among neuroscientists and philosophers. It encompasses states like wakefulness, sleep, and alertness, influenced by physiological processes. The exploration of consciousness includes understanding sleep's restorative functions and self-awareness's role in interactions, highlighting the balance between scientific and moral aspects of human experience.

Nature Metabolism, Published online: 05 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s42255-025-01427-2Sex profoundly shapes liver metabolism, with oestrogens conferring protection against metabolic liver disease. In this study, Yang, Wang and colleagues identify the orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPR110 as a liver-specific brake on oestrogen signalling, bridging GPCR and nuclear receptor pathways, thus pointing to GPR110 as a target for sex-specific therapy in liver disease.