Hypothalamic control of body weight

Joel K. Elmquist, Carol F. Elias, Clifford B. Saper
From: Science & Medicine: Volume 6 Number 5: Page 46 (October 1999)

Abstract: in the five years since the discovery of leptin, there has been remarkable progress in studying the effects of starvation, leptin deprivation, and leptin administration on the expression of genes for transcription factors, signaling molecules, and neurotransmitters involved in feeding. A number of pieces of the puzzle are still missing, but the outline of the hypothalamic systemfor regulation of feeding is now more clear. the ventromedical nucleus sits at the the epicenter of a web of pathways running between the aracuate nucleus and the paraventricular nucleus and lateral hypothalamus, and this epicenter defines the mechanisms of neuronal regulation of feeding.

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