Glucocorticoids and insulin both modulate caloric intake through actions on the brain.
Glucocorticoids act primarily in a feed-forward fashion on brain to activate CNS pathways that implement wanting appropriate to physiological needs. Thus, depending on the available conditions, elevated glucocorticoids may augment the behavioural want to run, fight or feed. Although glucocorticoids stimulate intake of chow, fat and sucrose, insulin appears to sculpt calorie-associated desires toward foods high in fat, acting through hepatic branch afferents of the vagus nerve. Both conditions of reduced food allowance and chronic stress excite glucocorticoid-augmented central neural networks that may lead toward ultimate abdominal obesity.
Dallman
Mary F
MF
Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA. mary.dallman@ucsf.edu
Warne
James P
JP
Foster
Michelle T
MT
Pecoraro
Norman C
NC
D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D002149:Energy Intake; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
D004041:Dietary Fats; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007328:Insulin; C029310:lard