 |
|
Brain circuits that control hunger identified
October 30, 2007Finding suggests new targets for treating obesity
Researchers at UCLA have determined the brain circuits involved in hunger that are influenced by a hormone called leptin. In previous clinical trials, supplementation of leptin, the signaling molecule produced by fat cells, produced moderate weight loss in some obese patients, purportedly by inhibiting hunger and promoting feelings of being full. Thus, this new work suggests possible new targets for treating obesity.
Reporting in the Oct. 29 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Edythe London, a professor of psychiatry in the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior; Kate Baicy, a graduate student in London's lab, and colleagues report that leptin reduces activation in regions of the brain linked to hunger while enhancing activation in regions linked to inhibition and satiety. The findings suggest possible new therapeutic targets for human obesity, an increasing problem in adults as well as children.
The researcher's used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity before and after leptin supplementation in three adults from a Turkish family who lacked the leptin (ob) hormone due to a mutation. Such a mutation in the ob gene causes leptin deficiency and morbid obesity.
The reason the study only involved three subjects, said London, is because "having a genetic deficiency in leptin is extremely rare, so we were fortunate in finding them." Indeed, research published in 2005 by Julio Licinio, then at UCLA, used the same three family members to show that when leptin replacement was provided to them, body weight and eating behavior was normalized (Also in 2005, London and her team showed that leptin produced sustained changes in the tissue composition of the cerebral cortex in the same individuals.)
In order to determine the neural circuits through which leptin alters human feeding behavior, the researchers showed images of food to the adults both before and after leptin treatment, while fMRI imaging was taking place. After leptin replacement in these individuals, feelings of hunger induced by the images and activity in certain brain regions associated with hunger the insula, parietal, and temporal cortex were reduced, while brain activity increased in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain previously associated with feeling full or satisfied.
Despite the limitations in only having three subjects with the ob mutation, said London, "we think knowing the mechanisms by which leptin alters brain function in congenital leptin deficiency can provide understanding of normal leptin physiology. Ultimately, that may help identify new targets for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders."
University of California - Los Angeles
The researcher's used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity before and after leptin supplementation in three adults from a Turkish family who lacked the leptin (ob) hormone due to a mutation. Such a mutation in the ob gene causes leptin deficiency and morbid obesity.
The reason the study only involved three subjects, said London, is because "having a genetic deficiency in leptin is extremely rare, so we were fortunate in finding them." Indeed, research published in 2005 by Julio Licinio, then at UCLA, used the same three family members to show that when leptin replacement was provided to them, body weight and eating behavior was normalized (Also in 2005, London and her team showed that leptin produced sustained changes in the tissue composition of the cerebral cortex in the same individuals.)
In order to determine the neural circuits through which leptin alters human feeding behavior, the researchers showed images of food to the adults both before and after leptin treatment, while fMRI imaging was taking place. After leptin replacement in these individuals, feelings of hunger induced by the images and activity in certain brain regions associated with hunger the insula, parietal, and temporal cortex were reduced, while brain activity increased in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain previously associated with feeling full or satisfied.
Despite the limitations in only having three subjects with the ob mutation, said London, "we think knowing the mechanisms by which leptin alters brain function in congenital leptin deficiency can provide understanding of normal leptin physiology. Ultimately, that may help identify new targets for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders."
University of California - Los Angeles
Leptin Current Events and Leptin News RSSScientists find obesity alone does not cause arthritis in animals
The link between obesity and osteoarthritis may be more than just the wear and tear on the skeleton caused by added weight.
Researchers identify new brain pathway for regulating weight and bone mass
Contrary to the prevailing view, the hormone leptin, which is critical for normal food intake and metabolism, appears to regulate bone mass and suppress appetite by acting mainly through serotonin pathways in the brain.
Fish fend off invading germs with an initial response similar to the one found in people
Since the human response to infection is highly complex, research to understand how people fight infection is facilitated by studying how similar processes occur in simpler organisms.
Ice cream may target the brain before your hips, UT Southwestern study suggests
Blame your brain for sabotaging your efforts to get back on track after splurging on an extra scoop of ice cream or that second burger during Friday night's football game.
New information about how fat increases blood pressure could help identify those at risk
Some of the first information about how fat causes hypertension have been identified by researchers who say the findings should one day help identify which obese people - and maybe some thin ones too - are at risk for hypertension and which drugs would work best for them.
Caltech researchers pinpoint neurons that control obesity in fruit flies
A team of scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have pinpointed two groups of neurons in fruit fly brains that have the ability to sense and manipulate the fly's fat stores in much the same way as do neurons in the mammalian brain.
Scarring key to link between obesity and diabetes
The team, in collaboration with University Hospital Aintree, the University of Warwick and researchers in Sweden, found that people classified as obese and those with pre-diabetes have raised levels of a protein called SPARC, that can cause tissue scarring.
Obesity increases risk of prostate cancer recurrence for both blacks and whites
A new look at a large database of prostate cancer patients shows that obesity plays no favorites when it comes to increasing the risk of recurrence after surgery: Being way overweight is equally bad for blacks and whites, say researchers at Duke University Medical Center.
Study further expands understanding of leptin's role in brain neurocircuitry
In investigating the complex neurocircuitry behind weight gain and glucose control, scientists have known that the hormone leptin plays a key role in the process.
Sleep may be factor in weight control
Could sleep be a critical component to maintaining a healthy body weight?
More Leptin Current Events and Leptin News Articles
 |
Mastering Leptin: Your Guide to Permanent Weight Loss and Optimum Health (Third Edition) by Byron J. Richards (Author), Mary Guignon Richards (Author) First published in 2002, Mastering Leptin is the first and most in-depth book explaining the hormone leptin and its relationship to obesity and difficult weight loss, yo-yo dieting, low energy, heart disease, low thyroid, stress eating, food cravings, and hormonal imbalance. Mastering Leptin cuts through the confusion of countless ways to eat and provides individuals with a workable lifestyle for permanent weight loss. Renowned leptin expert Byron Richards, CCN analyzes over 8,500 leptin-related scientific studies and brings amazing findings to the public in an easy-to-understand format. Learn how to eat in harmony with the fat hormone leptin, reduce food cravings, improve energy, and permanently lose weight. |
 |
The Leptin Diet: How Fit Is Your Fat? (Take Charge) by Byron J. Richards (Author) The Leptin Diet explains how to unleash the power of hormones to resolve fatigue, food cravings, thyroid problems, and body weight issues. Mastering the fat hormone leptin is the single most important factor in preventing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The Leptin Diet contains five simple lifestyle guidelines to get the hormone leptin into balance for permanent weight loss, increased energy, and optimum health. What is Leptin? Fat cells produce the powerful hormone leptin, a primary force instructing metabolism, weight loss, and hormone balance. Leptin communicates directly to your brain, telling the brain how much fat is in storage. It controls appetite, energy, and metabolic rate. Leptin problems are the primary reason for food cravings, overeating, faulty metabolism, the... |
 |
Lepti-Trim 180 ct with Leptin Get Slim and Trim by Immune Tree In 1994, researchers discovered a small hormone-like protein called leptin, that orchestrates the metabolism of fat and suppresses appetite. By the year 2000, researchers had uncovered the process by which leptin, working in conjunction with IgF-1 and other natural co-factors, can help restore fat cells to their normal size and increase the rate of thermogenesis. Both leptin and IgF-1 are found in complete colostrum, along with an array of co-factors that work together to reduce body fat and build lean muscle. Lepti-Trim combines enhanced levels of leptin and IgF-1, with additional co-factors to promote healthy fat and inch loss |
 |
The Fat Resistance Diet: Unlock the Secret of the Hormone Leptin to: Eliminate Cravings, Supercharge Your Metabolism, Fight Inflammation, Lose Weight & Reprogram Your Body to Stay Thin- by Leo Galland (Author) No more counting carbs, calories, or fat grams! This revolutionary diet plan works with your hormones to curb your appetite, boost your metabolism, and take the pounds off for good! Cutting-edge research shows that losing weight is not about carbs, calories, or even willpower—it’s about a hormone called leptin, and how it functions in your body. Leptin is your body’s natural weight-loss mechanism: it curbs your appetite, jump-starts your metabolism, and when working properly makes you literally fat resistant—you will lose weight effortlessly and efficiently and never gain those pounds back. If you’re struggling to lose weight, chances are you are “leptin resistant”—your body no longer responds to leptin, making it impossible for you to slim down. The Fat... |
 |
The Leptin Boost Diet: Unleash Your Fat-Controlling Hormones for Maximum Weight Loss by Scott Isaacs (Author) A series of recent medical breakthroughs have confirmed what physicians suspected all along — obesity is a hormonal disorder. The Leptin Boost Diet transforms these findings into a unique and easy-to-follow weight-loss program that is perfect for people whose out-of-balance hormones make it impossible to lose weight on other diets. The book shows how to optimize leptin and other fat cell hormones so that the body’s natural chemistry becomes an ally, instead of a barrier, in the fight against fat. Dr. Scott Isaacs, an expert in the field, clearly explains complex topics relating to the newest medical treatments, the endocrinology of fat cell hormones, identifying leptin deficiency, and improving the action of leptin in the body. His program includes clear and concise recommendations on... |
![Leptin, hunger, and body weight: Influence of gender, tobacco smoking, and smoking abstinence [An article from: Addictive Behaviors]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41J08AVSFVL._SL160_.jpg) |
Leptin, hunger, and body weight: Influence of gender, tobacco smoking, and smoking abstinence [An article from: Addictive Behaviors] by L. Cousino Klein (Author), E.J. Corwin (Author), R.M. Ceballos (Author) This digital document is a journal article from Addictive Behaviors, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Description: Leptin is a hormone involved in body weight and hunger regulation, and may contribute to the inverse relationship between cigarette smoking and body weight. Leptin levels, body mass indices (BMIs), and hunger ratings were determined in 22 nonsmokers (12 male, 10 female) and 19 cigarette smokers (11 male, 8 female). Smokers were tested after ad lib smoking and following a 24-h smoking abstinence period; nonsmokers came to the laboratory once. Leptin levels were not different among the groups. Hunger ratings,... |
 |
Lepti-Trim Night Time Formula (16 oz) by Total Body Research Labs The Lepti-Trim unique Night Time Formula recognizes what other products and programs do not: you need to replace the suppementation your body periodically eliminates. And since the Lepti-Trim System improves elimination, you especially need this Night Time Formula. Insulin levels are lower while you sleep which allows Lepti-Trim to be especially effective. The Lepti-Trim System is a scientific breakthrough providing inch loss, weight management, and a feeling of light, bright, clean functionality available only from Lepti-Trim. Leptin is a TBR Labs science discovery that orchestrates the body's use of fats to accelerate weight maintenance and inch loss. Containing a proprietary blend of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids, Lepti-Trim nourishes the body to reduce cravings... |
 |
Leptin (Endocrine Updates) by V. Daniel Castracane (Editor), Michael C. Henson (Editor) There are more than 8,000 references in the literature on leptin. Nearly 6,000 of these references are from 2000 to the present, the remaining date back only to 1996. The discovery of this protein hormone has received great interest since leptin effects regulation of body weight, metabolism and reproductive function. This book is an edited collection beginning with the discovery of leptin and a study of its affect on animals and in humans. Chapters will focus on the discovery, history, roles and regulation of leptin in all the major areas of physiology, as well as on assay methods, phylogeny and genetics. |
 |
LepToThin(TM) by Core Innovations(tm) LepToThinTM is based on new, cutting edge science. It has been discovered that many people who are chronically overweight are silently suffering from a condition that they may not even be aware of, Leptin Resistance. What is Leptin Resistance? The Leptin hormone controls your hunger, cravings and how your body uses energy. Normally, when your brain is responding to naturally occurring Leptin, your brain signals you to stop eating when you've had enough food to eat. However, in about 70% of the population that are overweight, the brain stops responding to Leptin and actually becomes resistant to its signals Leptin Resistance. LeptiProTM the key ingredient in LepToThinTM , turns the switch back on so that your brain responds normally to Leptin and does its job regulating weight, hunger,... |
 |
From Belly Fat to Belly Flat: How Your Hormones Are Adding Inches to Your Waist and Subtracting Years from Your Life -- the Medically Proven Way to Reset Your Metabolism and Reshape Your Body by C.W. Randolph M.D. (Author), Genie James (Author) Discover the hidden culprit behind the 'middle-age spread'--and the simple plan that's helped hundreds of women over 30 break the fat cycle! It's an all-too-common problem once you hit thirty: Despite your best efforts, you just can't seem to lose the extra weight around your middle, and you look in the mirror wondering what month and year you lost your waistline. Medical research proves you're not alone--that the average American gains one to two pounds a year after age thirty--usually around the stomach. Not only does this excess belly fat make you look and feel bad, it's the most damaging kind of fat; a precursor to heart attacks and certain types of cancer. To the contrary of other diet books, C.W. Randolph, M.D., a champion for women's health, explains that the real... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |