Leptin has a powerful effect on reward center in the brain

Leptin, a hormone exercises required for the normal food intake and metabolism, a strong effect on appetite, by region and in the middle of the brain in the hypothalamus, according to a Yale School of Medicine study in Neuron. Noting that metabolic hormones directly regulate the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the mid-brain has profound implications for how researchers view the integration of metabolic signals in the brain, said lead author Ralph DiLeone, assistant professor of psychiatry.
In this study, the researchers demonstrated that leptin signaling through its receptor, it comes in dopamine neurons in the VTA, and that leads to a decreased activity of these neurons. Metabolic control on the function of dopaminergic neurons in the VTA is likely to have consequences fora broad spectrum of behaviors and associated pathologies, said DiLeone. These include obesity, drug addiction and other impulsive behaviors. Hypothalamic leptin effect is well studied, but it was not known how the hormone activity in the VTA dopamine neurons, which are important in modulating motivated behavior, addiction and reward has affected.
Reduce the dependence of the leptin receptor in the VTA region resulted animals that ate too much and are hypersensitive to highly palatable food. It is interesting to note that despite the increase in food intake, these animals do not gain weight, probably because of increased activity, which was also observed in animals, said DiLeone. Food intake by signals that travel to the brain affects the body. Leptin is a molecule thatsignals the brain to modulate food intake. And produced in fat cells and informs the brain of the metabolic state.If animals lacking leptin or the leptin receptor, they eat too much and too heavy obese.
---------------------------- Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. ---------------------------- Co-authors include Jonathan Hommel, Richard Trinka, Robert Sears, Dan Georgescu, Jeremy Thurmon,

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