Fig. 1: Effect of predator smell on energy metabolism and mediobasal hypothalamus activity.

a Experimental design. Mice given TMT odor or control swab were assessed by indirect calorimetry. b CORT levels measured 90 min following TMT or control odor stimulus, males (light blue/blue) and females (pink/red),males, N = 12/control and N = 14/TMT, females, N = 12 per group, Two-way Anova with Tukey’s post hoc comparison. c, d VO₂ post-exposure to TMT, N = 16 per group, Two-way Anova with Sidak’s post hoc comparison. e, f Activity 3 h post-exposure to TMT, males, N = 16 per group, Two-way Anova with Sidak’s post hoc comparison. g, h Food intake 3 h post-exposure to TMT, males, N = 11 per group, females, N = 12/control and N = 10/TMT. I, j Brown adipose tissue temperature 3 h post-exposure to TMT, males, N = 11 per group, females, N = 11 per group, Two-way Anova with Sidak’s post hoc comparison. k, l Food intake after an overnight fast in male and female mice exposed to TMT or control scent, males, N = 9 control group and N = 10 TMT group females, N = 10 per group, Two-way Anova with Sidak’s post hoc comparison. m Schematic of the experiment. Mice given an odor were monitored for changes in brain cFos expression. n, o cFos expression after odor exposure in ARC and quantification, N = 5 per group, Two-way Anova with Dunnett’s post hoc comparison. p, q cFos expression after odor exposure in DMH and quantification, N = 5 per group, Two-way Anova with Dunnett’s post hoc comparison. All bar graphs are presented as mean values ± SEM. Table S1 contains the detailed results of the statistical analysis. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. corticosterone (CORT), arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC), dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT). Scale bar 100 µm.