title: Hypothalamic-autonomic control of energy homeostasis.
abstract: Regulation of energy homeostasis is tightly controlled by the central nervous system (CNS). Several key areas such as the hypothalamus and brainstem receive and integrate signals conveying energy status from the periphery, such as leptin, thyroid hormones, and insulin, ultimately leading to modulation of food intake, energy expenditure (EE), and peripheral metabolism. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a key role in the response to such signals, innervating peripheral metabolic tissues, including brown and white adipose tissue (BAT and WAT), liver, pancreas, and skeletal muscle. The ANS consists of two parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (SNS and PSNS). The SNS regulates BAT thermogenesis and EE, controlled by central areas such as the preoptic area (POA) and the ventromedial, dorsomedial, and arcuate hypothalamic nuclei (VMH, DMH, and ARC). The SNS also regulates lipid metabolism in WAT, controlled by the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), VMH, and ARC. Control of hepatic glucose production and pancreatic insulin secretion also involves the LHA, VMH, and ARC as well as the dorsal vagal complex (DVC), via splanchnic sympathetic and the vagal parasympathetic nerves. Muscle glucose uptake is also controlled by the SNS via hypothalamic nuclei such as the VMH. There is recent evidence of novel pathways connecting the CNS and ANS. These include the hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase-SNS-BAT axis which has been demonstrated to be a key modulator of thermogenesis. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the role of the ANS in the modulation of energy balance.
authors.affiliation: NeurObesity Group, Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. patricia.seoane@usc.es.|CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. patricia.seoane@usc.es.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seoane-Collazo
authors.affiliation: NeurObesity Group, Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.|Department of Clinical Science, K. G. Jebsen Center for Diabetes Research, University of Bergen, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernø
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.|Service of Ophthalmology, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: NeurObesity Group, Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.|CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Diéguez
authors.affiliation: Unit of Investigation in Nutrition, Growth and Human Development of Galicia, Pediatric Department (USC), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago (IDIS/SERGAS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosaura
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leis
authors.affiliation: NeurObesity Group, Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.|CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nogueiras
authors.affiliation: NeurObesity Group, Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. m.lopez@usc.es.|CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. m.lopez@usc.es.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: Autonomic nervous system; Energy balance; Hypothalamus