Jonny (Johannes) Kohl, PhD

Dr. Johannes Kohl, a Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute, delves into how hormones and hunger shape animal behaviors like parenting and aggression. He reveals how hunger neurons in the hypothalamus can influence parenting circuits, toggling behaviors based on internal states. The intricate balance of hormonal fluctuations during the estrous cycle alters aggression probability in mice. Kohl also discusses how pregnancy rewires the brain for maternal instincts, and highlights the implications of disrupting human hormonal cycles through modern interventions.