Diet restriction increases hypothalamic SIRT1 levels, which activates dorsomedial and lateral hypothalamic nuclei to promote physical activity and maintain body temperature.

Here we demonstrate that diet restriction significantly increases SIRT1 protein levels and induces neural activation in the dorsomedial and lateral hypothalamic nuclei. Increasing SIRT1 in the brain of transgenic (BRASTO) mice enhances neural activity specifically in these hypothalamic nuclei, maintains a higher range of body temperature, and promotes physical activity in response to different diet-restricting paradigms.