Hormonal
GLP1R-expressing neurons in the human hypothalamus, specifically those co-expressing POMC in the arcuate nucleus and AVP in the paraventricular/supraoptic nuclei, are the primary neural targets mediating the appetite-suppressing effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide.
If you are using a GLP-1 medication like semaglutide, its ability to reduce your appetite is biologically grounded in its action on specific neurons in your hypothalamus (brain). This confirms that the reduction in food intake is a direct neurological effect, not just a side effect of slower digestion.
There is growing evidence that GLP1 analogues such as liraglutide and semaglutide exhibit their weight-loss effects through activation of their receptors expressed in the hypothalamus and hindbrain, including by directly acting on POMC neurons in the ARC.
Why this rating
High-quality spatial transcriptomics and snRNA-seq on human tissue, though observational rather than interventional.
Source
Human HYPOMAP: A comprehensive spatio-cellular map of the human hypothalamus
John A. Tadross et al. · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2023
DOI 10.1101/2023.09.15.557967
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