Hormonal
Central administration of recombinant OB protein (leptin) reduces food intake and body weight in lean and ob/ob mice, demonstrating that the protein acts on central neural networks to regulate energy balance.
This paper establishes that leptin (OB protein) is a key hormone that signals fat stores to the brain to regulate eating and energy use. While this review focuses on animal models, it lays the groundwork for understanding why obesity is a biological condition. Future treatments may target this pathway to help regulate body weight.
central administration of OB protein lead to reductions in food intake, body weight and alterations in metabolism consistent with activation of the autonomic nervous system.
Why this rating
Strong evidence from multiple animal models (ob/ob, lean mice, rats) and early human studies, but limited human clinical trial data in this 1996 review.
Source
The OB Protein (Leptin) Pathway - A Link Between Adipose Tissue Mass and Central Neural Networks
L. Arthur Campfield et al. · Hormone and Metabolic Research · 1996
DOI 10.1055/s-2007-979867
More from this paper
- Obese humans have elevated serum OB protein concentrations that correlate with body fat percentage, suggesting that human obesity is not caused by a deficiency in OB protein but potentially by reduced brain sensitivity to it.Good
- Reduced entry of OB protein into the brain, potentially due to high plasma concentrations saturating the transport system, may be a mechanism for reduced sensitivity of the OB protein pathway in obese individuals.Moderate
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