Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Obesity01:24

Obesity

1.1K
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
1.1K
Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination01:23

Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination

3.4K
The hypothalamus is a small yet highly complex and essential brain region that plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions. Anatomically, it is located at the base of the brain, just above the brainstem and below the thalamus, forming part of the limbic system.
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
3.4K
Hypodermis01:02

Hypodermis

7.2K
The hypodermis (the subcutaneous layer or superficial fascia) is present directly below the dermis. It connects the skin to the underlying fascia (fibrous tissue) of the bones and muscles. It is not strictly a part of the skin, although the border between the hypodermis and dermis can be difficult to distinguish. The hypodermis consists of well-vascularized, loose, areolar connective tissue and adipose tissue, which functions as a mode of fat storage and provides insulation and cushioning for...
7.2K
Regulation of Food Intake01:30

Regulation of Food Intake

2.2K
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...
2.2K
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis01:37

Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

65.2K
The response to stress—be it physical or psychological, acute or chronic—involves activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is part of the neuroendocrine system because it involves both neuronal and hormonal communication. Its function is to regulate homeostatic systems—metabolic, cardiovascular, and immune—providing the necessary means to respond to a stressor.
65.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Distinct Physiological Mechanisms Drive Grey Matter Plasticity in Complex Versus Simple Sequence Learning.

Human brain mapping·2026
Same author

Depressive and anxiety symptoms in individuals with Long-COVID: Does social network matter? - Results of a German Long-COVID study.

Journal of affective disorders·2026
Same author

Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness reflects characteristics of brain grey and white matter.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Excitability Modulations of Somatosensory Perception Do Not Depend on Feedforward Neuronal Population Spikes.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2025
Same author

Blood Flow Velocity Analysis in Cerebral Perforating Arteries on 7T 2D Phase Contrast MRI with an Open-Source Software Tool (SELMA).

Neuroinformatics·2025
Same author

Linking brain-heart interactions to emotional arousal in immersive virtual reality.

Psychophysiology·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Functional Interrogation of Adult Hypothalamic Neurogenesis with Focal Radiological Inhibition
11:45

Functional Interrogation of Adult Hypothalamic Neurogenesis with Focal Radiological Inhibition

Published on: November 14, 2013

12.5K

Higher body mass index is linked to altered hypothalamic microstructure.

K Thomas1,2, F Beyer1,2, G Lewe1

  • 1Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.

Scientific Reports
|November 24, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Higher body mass index (BMI) is linked to microstructural changes in the human hypothalamus, a brain region regulating energy balance. These findings suggest lasting brain alterations associated with obesity.

More Related Videos

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice
10:28

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

Published on: May 24, 2018

16.2K
Studying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signal to Peripheral Glucose Intolerance with a Continuous Drug Infusion System into the Mouse Brain
08:32

Studying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signal to Peripheral Glucose Intolerance with a Continuous Drug Infusion System into the Mouse Brain

Published on: January 4, 2018

10.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Functional Interrogation of Adult Hypothalamic Neurogenesis with Focal Radiological Inhibition
11:45

Functional Interrogation of Adult Hypothalamic Neurogenesis with Focal Radiological Inhibition

Published on: November 14, 2013

12.5K
Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice
10:28

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

Published on: May 24, 2018

16.2K
Studying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signal to Peripheral Glucose Intolerance with a Continuous Drug Infusion System into the Mouse Brain
08:32

Studying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signal to Peripheral Glucose Intolerance with a Continuous Drug Infusion System into the Mouse Brain

Published on: January 4, 2018

10.8K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Metabolic Research
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • Obesity-related diets may alter hypothalamic structure, impacting energy homeostasis.
  • Human relevance of these structural brain changes in obesity remains largely unknown.
  • The hypothalamus is a critical brain region for regulating appetite and metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and hypothalamic microstructure in humans.
  • To determine if obesity-associated microstructural changes in the hypothalamus are detectable in a general population.
  • To explore potential sex differences in hypothalamic structure related to obesity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a multimodal neuroimaging approach with manual segmentation on two independent population-based cohorts (n1=338, n2=236).
  • Assessed proton diffusivity in the hypothalamus as an indicator of tissue microstructure.
  • Controlled for confounders including age, sex, and obesity-related comorbidities.

Main Results:

  • Higher body mass index (BMI) was selectively associated with increased proton diffusivity in the hypothalamus, indicating compromised tissue microstructure.
  • These findings were consistent across two independent samples and independent of age, sex, and comorbidities.
  • No association was found between hypothalamic volume and obesity, but a significant sexual dimorphism showed larger left than right hypothalamic volumes.

Conclusions:

  • Higher BMI is specifically related to altered hypothalamic microstructure in the general population.
  • These results suggest persistent microstructural changes in the hypothalamus with excessive weight.
  • The findings may elucidate pathomechanisms underlying obesity and eating-related disorders.