Research
Hormonal
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.
High levels of OB protein in the blood might block its entry into the brain, reducing its effectiveness. This is one possible reason why obesity can be resistant to natural regulatory mechanisms.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
The rate of transport can be decreased by high plasma concentrations of OB protein. Thus, reduced entry of OB protein to the brain may be one of the mechanisms of reduced sensitivity of the OB protein pathway in obese individuals.
Why this rating
The paper presents this as a hypothesis ('may be one of the mechanisms') based on observed transport saturation.
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
narrative_reviewCited 505×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- 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.Good
- 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
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