Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 26, 2025
08:47
Live Images of GLUT4 Protein Trafficking in Mouse Primary Hypothalamic Neurons Using Deconvolution Microscopy
Published on: December 7, 2017
9.9K
Neural network modelling reveals changes in directional connectivity between cortical and hypothalamic regions with
Katharina Voigt1, Adeel Razi1,2,3,4, Ian H Harding5,6
1School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|August 3, 2021
Summary
Obesity involves brain changes where the hypothalamus is persistently excited, regardless of hunger. Reduced top-down control from the prefrontal cortex may contribute to overeating and obesity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Metabolic Research
Background:
- Obesity is hypothesized to involve corticostriatal control over homeostatic brain regions.
- Understanding brain connectivity in obesity is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain connectivity changes related to Body Mass Index (BMI) and homeostatic states (hunger/satiety).
- To determine the direction and valence of information flow between key brain regions.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used in 41 participants (21 overweight/obese).
- Spectral dynamic causal modeling (DCM) analyzed directed connectivity during hunger and satiety states.
- Connectivity was examined between cortical, insular, striatal, and hypothalamic regions.
Main Results:
- Hunger increased top-down excitation from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to the ventral striatum and hypothalamus.
- Increased BMI correlated with heightened anterior insula excitation of the hypothalamus.
- Obesity and hunger interacted, reducing excitation from the dorsolateral to ventromedial prefrontal cortex.
Conclusions:
- Obesity is linked to sustained hypothalamic excitation, independent of homeostatic state.
- Reduced prefrontal cortex connectivity during hunger may impair self-regulation in obesity.
- Findings support theories of eating without hunger and reduced self-control in obesity.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination
2.6K
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...
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...
2.6K
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
1.1K
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...
1.1K
01:37Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
63.1K
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.
63.1K
01:37Neural Regulation
40.6K
Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
40.6K
01:09Clearance Models: Physiological Models
154
Drug clearance is a critical pharmacokinetic process involving the irreversible removal of drugs from the body through various organs over a specified time period. Physiological models are indispensable in determining organ-specific clearance, defined by the proportion of the drug eliminated per unit of time from the organ's blood volume.
The organ's clearance rate depends on the blood flow to the organ and the extraction ratio (E). The extraction ratio describes the organ's...
The organ's clearance rate depends on the blood flow to the organ and the extraction ratio (E). The extraction ratio describes the organ's...
154
01:18Neural Regulation of Blood Pressure
5.7K
The neural regulation of blood pressure involves intricate interactions between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and cardiovascular system, ensuring adequate perfusion of tissues. This regulation primarily occurs through baroreceptor and chemoreceptor reflexes, involving both short-term and long-term mechanisms.
Baroreceptor Reflex
Baroreceptors, located in the carotid sinuses and aortic arch, detect changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure rises, these stretch-sensitive receptors...
Baroreceptor Reflex
Baroreceptors, located in the carotid sinuses and aortic arch, detect changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure rises, these stretch-sensitive receptors...
5.7K