Viral vectors as probes to decipher brain circuitry for weight control.
Multidisciplinary research has recently identified an intrinsic appetite-regulating network (ARN) in the hypothalamus. The idea that viruses could help to chart this complex network has gained impetus owing to a combination of our improved understanding of virology and of genetic engineering. Recently, three groups have employed viral vectors as probes to: (1) trace the inflow of sensory information from the neocortex and limbic systems to the ARN; (2) trace the outflow of information from the ARN to the sympathetic nervous system to monitor adiposity and energy expenditure; and (3) decipher the mechanisms underlying leptin resistance, which is responsible for environmentally based obesity.
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D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics*