Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
10:29
Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
Published on: June 4, 2014
Hypothalamic responses to long-chain fatty acids are nutritionally regulated
Kimyata Morgan1, Silvana Obici, Luciano Rossetti
1Department of Medicine, Diabetes Research and Training Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|May 25, 2004
Summary
Short-term overfeeding in rats blunts the effects of oleic acid on food intake and glucose production. Nutrient availability rapidly alters central oleic acid
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Metabolic Research
- Animal Models
Background:
- Central administration of oleic acid affects food intake and glucose production.
- Nutrient availability is a key factor in metabolic regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if short-term changes in nutrient availability modulate the metabolic and behavioral effects of oleic acid.
- To examine the impact of overfeeding on oleic acid's central actions.
Main Methods:
- Rats were fed diets with varying caloric levels for 3 days.
- Acute biological responses to intracerebroventricular oleic acid infusion were assessed.
- Hypothalamic neuropeptide Y and hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase expression were measured.
Main Results:
- Overfeeding for 3 days significantly reduced the anorectic and metabolic effects of central oleic acid.
- Oleic acid infusion failed to decrease neuropeptide Y and glucose-6-phosphatase expression after overfeeding.
- Short-term overfeeding rapidly impaired the central nervous system's response to oleic acid.
Conclusions:
- Short-term overfeeding rapidly diminishes the central metabolic and behavioral effects of oleic acid.
- This blunted response may contribute to rapid weight gain and hepatic insulin resistance.
- Nutrient availability critically influences the efficacy of central metabolic signaling pathways.
Related Concept Videos
01:40Hormonal Regulation
Hormones regulate a significant portion of digestion through activation of the neuroendocrine system. The neuroendocrine system of digestion contains many different hormones all with multiple functions that are both, directly and indirectly, involved in digestion.
01:06Fats as Energy Storage Molecules
Triglycerides are a form of long-term energy storage molecules. They are made of glycerol and three fatty acids. To obtain energy from fat, triglycerides must first be broken down by hydrolysis into their two principal components, fatty acids and glycerol. This process, called lipolysis, takes place in the cytoplasm. The resulting fatty acids are oxidized by β-oxidation into acetyl-CoA, which is used by the Krebs cycle. The glycerol that is released from triglycerides after lipolysis directly...
01:06Fats as Energy Storage Molecules
Triglycerides are a form of long-term energy storage molecules. They are made of glycerol and three fatty acids. To obtain energy from fat, triglycerides must first be broken down by hydrolysis into their two principal components, fatty acids and glycerol. This process, called lipolysis, takes place in the cytoplasm. The resulting fatty acids are oxidized by β-oxidation into acetyl-CoA, which is used by the Krebs cycle. The glycerol that is released from triglycerides after lipolysis directly...
01:22Target Cell Response to Hormones
Hormones intricately bind to receptors on the surface or within target cells, initiating a cascade of cellular responses.
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
01:25Metabolic States of the Body: The Absorptive State
During the absorptive state, which lasts approximately four hours after a meal, the body absorbs nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract. The carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids we consume are broken down into monosaccharides, amino acids, and free fatty acids for absorption. While carbohydrates and proteins are absorbed as-is, lipids are absorbed in their broken-down forms and then re-esterified into triglycerides within enterocytes before being packaged into chylomicrons. These absorbed...
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...