Hippocampal insulin resistance and altered food decision-making as players on obesity risk.
There are increasing evidences that hippocampus can modulate the decision of what, when and how much to eat, in addition to its already recognized role in learning and memory processes. Insulin also has been linked to brain functions such as feeding behavior and the imbalance of its mechanism of action on hippocampus is being related to cognitive dysfunction. The discussion here is whether changes in insulin action could contribute to intake dysregulation and obesogenic behavior as a primary consequence of impairing hippocampal functioning, aside from the role of this hormone on obesity development through peripheral metabolic pathways. Excess intake of high-fat and high-sugar diets leads to insulin resistance, which disrupts hippocampal function. Hippocampal physiology is sensitive to signals of hunger and satiety, inhibiting the ability of food cues to evoke appetite and eating, therefore alterations in hippocampal integrity could affect food inhibitory control leading to increased intake and obesity.
Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: amandabmuc@gmail.com.
Amanda Brondani
AB
Mucellini
Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Natasha Kim de Oliveira da
NKOD
Fonseca
Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Gisele Gus
GG
Manfro
Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Patrícia Pelufo
PP
Silveira
D003657:Decision Making; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006624:Hippocampus; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D009765:Obesity
Cognitive decline; Feeding behavior; Metabolic syndrome