Hormonal
Genetic inactivation of brain fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the hypothalamus causes hypophagia and increased physical activity by impairing PPARα signaling, which can be reversed by administering a PPARα agonist.
This research identifies a specific brain mechanism where the enzyme FAS helps regulate appetite and activity by activating PPARα. While this doesn't suggest a direct supplement or drug for humans yet, it highlights that brain metabolism of fats plays a crucial role in energy balance, distinct from peripheral fat storage.
Here we report that the conditional genetic inactivation of FAS in pancreatic β cells and hypothalamus produced lean, hypophagic mice with increased physical activity and impaired hypothalamic PPARα signaling. Administration of a PPARα agonist into the hypothalamus increased PPARα target genes and normalized food intake.
Why this rating
High-quality genetic knockout models and pharmacological rescue experiments in mice, though translational to humans is not explicitly claimed.
Source
Brain fatty acid synthase activates PPARα to maintain energy homeostasis
Manu V. Chakravarthy et al. · Journal of Clinical Investigation · 2007
DOI 10.1172/jci31183
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