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Body weight is regulated by the brain: a link between feeding and emotion

Molecular Psychiatry volume 10, pages 132–146 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Regulated energy homeostasis is fundamental for maintaining life. Unfortunately, this critical process is affected in a high number of mentally ill patients. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa are prevalent in modern societies. Impaired appetite and weight loss are common in patients with depression. In addition, the use of neuroleptics frequently produces obesity and diabetes mellitus. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of these behavioral and metabolic conditions are largely unknown. In this review, we first concentrate on the established brain machinery of food intake and body weight, especially on the melanocortin and neuropeptide Y (NPY) systems as illustration. These systems play a critical role in receiving and processing critical peripheral metabolic cues such as leptin and ghrelin. It is also notable that both systems modulate emotion and motivated behavior as well. Secondly, we discuss the significance and potential promise of multidisciplinary molecular and neuroanatomic techniques that will likely increase the understanding of brain circuitries coordinating energy homeostasis and emotion. Finally, we introduce several lines of evidence suggesting a link between the melanocortin/NPY systems and several neurotransmitter systems on which many of the psychotropic agents exert their influence.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Institute of Health; Grant number DK56116; Grant number DK53301; Grant number MH61583; Grant number DK 567658; Grant number 2 R01 DK041096-14A1, as well as by the Yamada Science Foundation and Kato Memorial Bioscience Foundation.

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  1. Department of Anatomy and Morphological Neuroscience, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo, Japan

    T Kishi

  2. Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    J K Elmquist

  3. Department of Medicine and Division of Endocrinology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    J K Elmquist

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Kishi, T., Elmquist, J. Body weight is regulated by the brain: a link between feeding and emotion. Mol Psychiatry 10, 132–146 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001638

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