The melanocortin system refers to a set of hormonal, neuropeptidergic, and paracrine
signaling pathways that are defined by components that include the five G protein-coupled …

Early researchers found that lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) resulted in
hyperphagia and obesity in a variety of species including humans, which led them to …

To investigate the dependence of LH pulsatility on energy availability (dietary energy intake
minus exercise energy expenditure), we measured LH pulsatility after manipulating the …

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor has been associated previously with the regulation of food
intake. To help elucidate the role of this neurotrophin in weight regulation, we have …

Ketogenic diets have been used as an approach to weight loss on the basis of the
theoretical advantage of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. To evaluate the physiological and …

Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R),
was originally purified from the rat stomach. Like the synthetic growth hormone …

The prevalence of obesity, and the human and economic costs of the disease, creates a
need for better therapeutics and better understanding of the physiological processes that …

The neuropeptide Y (NPY)/Agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons of the hypothalamic
arcuate nucleus are thought to promote feeding. Here, we demonstrate that feeding state in …

The neuroendocrine system governs essential survival and homeostatic functions. For
example, growth is needed for development, thermoregulation maintains optimal core …

There is now considerable consensus that the adipocyte hormone leptin and the pancreatic
hormone insulin are important regulators of food intake and energy balance. Leptin and …