AGRP and Anxiety: Anatomically, the ARC serves as a primary entry point for the modulation of food intake, and its projection targets are possible integrating nodes for fear‐ and anxiety‐related stimuli.29, 148 In a Pavlovian food challenge task, optogenetic activation of AgRP/NPY neurons increased the time in a previously shocked chamber, in the presence and absence of direct food access, suggesting higher risk taking and/or reduced fear.3 In addition, anxiolysis was demonstrated by increased open arm time on the elevated plus maze and was reminiscent of fasted mice.