Novel Hypothalamic Mechanisms in the Pathophysiological Control of Body Weight and Metabolism

The incidence of obesity, with its impact on the development of comorbidities, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, represents one of the greatest global health threats of the 21st century. This is particularly damning considering the vast progress that has been made in understanding the factors and molecular mechanisms playing a role in the control of energy balance by the central nervous system, especially during the past 3 decades. Despite the wealth of newfound knowledge, effective therapies for prevention of and/or intervention in obesity have not been forthcoming. That said, recent technological advances and the revisiting of previously discarded concepts have identified novel neural mechanisms involved in the control of energy homeostasis, thereby providing potential new targets and experimental approaches that may bring us closer to effective therapies to improve metabolic control. This review summarizes some of the most recent findings, with special emphasis on the role of neural circuits of the hypothalamus.