The peptide hormone leptin regulates food intake, body mass, and reproductive function and
plays a role in fetal growth, proinflammatory immune responses, angiogenesis and lipolysis …

This Review highlights the processing and integration performed by hindbrain nuclei,
focusing on the inputs received by nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) neurons. These inputs …

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified> 250 loci for body mass index
(BMI), implicating pathways related to neuronal biology. Most GWAS loci represent clusters …

Abstract Objective Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides act on neurons
expressing the Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) to reduce body weight. Setmelanotide is a …

Background Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) deficiency is the commonest monogenic form
of obesity. However, the clinical spectrum and mode of inheritance have not been defined …

Hypothalamic neurons that express neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related protein
(AgRP) are thought to be critical regulators of feeding behavior and body weight. To …

This paper presents the 12th update of the human obesity gene map, which incorporates
published results up to the end of October 2005. Evidence from single‐gene mutation …

Abstract The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) was cloned in 1993 by degenerate PCR;
however, its function was unknown. Subsequent studies suggest that the MC4R might be …

Obesity has become a serious public health problem and a major risk factor for the
development of illnesses, such as insulin resistance and hypertension. Human homeostatic …

By integrating an agonist satiety signal, provided by alpha–melanocyte-stimulating hormone
(α-MSH), and an antagonist signal, provided by agouti-related protein (AGRP), the …