What is hypothalamic obesity disorder?
“Hypothalamic obesity” refers to excess weight gain that may follow from an injury to the hypothalamus, a brain region with many important functions. The hypothalamus affects energy intake, by regulating how much we eat, and energy expenditure, by regulating how much energy our bodies use.
Can the hypothalamus cause obesity?
Hypothalamic obesity is caused by injury to the hypothalamus. The most common cause is related to a rare non-cancerous tumor called a craniopharyngioma. When this tumor is removed, the hypothalamus can get damaged leading to the symptoms of hypothalamic obesity.
Which region of the hypothalamus produces Hyperphagia?
Early researchers found that lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) resulted in hyperphagia and obesity in a variety of species including humans, which led them to designate the VMH as the brain’s “satiety center.” Many researchers later dismissed a role for the VMH in feeding behavior when Gold claimed that …
What are the symptoms of hypothalamic problems?
Symptoms of hypothalamus disorders
- sensitivity to heat.
- anxiety.
- feeling irritable.
- mood swings.
- tiredness and difficulty sleeping.
- lack of sex drive.
- diarrhea.
- constant thirst.
What is hypothalamic hyperphagia?
Patients with hypothalamic obesity show extreme hyperphagia, i.e., abnormal food-seeking behavior, such as foraging for food, stealing food or stealing money for food25). These behaviors resemble those seen in patients with PWS or MC4R deficiencies26,27).
What does the hypothalamus do with hunger?
Within the hypothalamus are nerve cells that, when activated, produce the sensation of hunger. They do so by producing two proteins that cause hunger: neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AGRP). Quite close to these nerve cells is another set of nerves that powerfully inhibit hunger.
What part of the hypothalamus stimulates hunger?
lateral hypothalamus
In your brain, hunger and fullness signals come from two nerve centers within the hypothalamus that help control eating behavior: the lateral hypothalamus and the ventromedial hypothalamus. The lateral hypothalamus responds to any internal or external stimulation that causes you to feel hungry.
What is hypothalamic dysfunction?
Hypothalamic dysfunction is a problem with part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus helps control the pituitary gland and regulates many body functions.
What role does the hypothalamus play in obesity?
The hypothalamus regulates body weight by precisely balancing the intake of food, energy expen- diture and body fat tissue. Orexigenic and anorexigenic hypothalamic centers (hyperphagia when impaired) play a central role, connecting to adipose tissue by means of an intricate efferent and afferent signals circuit.