Neurobiology of Obesity

Description

Obesity is one of the prime contributors to ill health in modern society, affecting around 20–25% of the population. It can cause or exacerbate a variety of health problems and is often associated with several other diseases including type II diabetes, coronary heart disease and certain types of cancer. Significant progress has been made in understanding the role of the nervous system and, in particular, the complex interplay between a range of orexigenic and anorectic agents within specific hypothalamic nuclei in the regulation of energy balance, appetite and adiposity. Several different neuronal pathways, neurotransmitters and hormones have been identified as major players in the regulation of feeding behavior and body weight and these are now being targeted as having therapeutic potential. Written for academic researchers and graduate students, Neurobiology of Obesity is a concise overview of recent developments in this field, written by leading international experts.

• Concise overview of the current state of play in obesity research
• Covering both recent developments from animal models and future potential targets for therapeutic intervention
• Of broad interest to a range of disciplines including basic bench scientists, clinicians and the pharmaceutical industry

Contents

1. Introductory chapter Benjamin C. T. Field, Caroline J. Small and Stephen R. Bloom; 2. Genetics of human and rodent body weight regulation Karin Clément; 3. Hypothalamic control of energy homeostasis Neel S. Singhal and Rexford S. Ahima; 4. Leptin and insulin as adiposity signals Kevin D. Niswender; 5. Convergence of leptin and insulin signalling networks in obesity Callum Sutherland and Mike Ashford; 6. Diet-induced obesity in animal models and how this compares to human obesity Barry E. Levin and Alison M. Strack; 7. Melanocortins and the control of body weight Virginie Tolle and Malcolm J. Low; 8. Role of Opiates in regulating energy balance Richard J. Bodnar and Allen S. Levine; 9. Ghrelin: An orexigenic signal from the stomach Tamas Horvath; 10. CNS Controls of apoptosis of adipose tissue Mary Anne Della-Fera, Mark W. Hamrick and Clifton A. Baile; 11. Potential therapies to limit obesity Jason C. G. Halford.