Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications
Publication Date
6-1-2022
Journal
Protein Cell
DOI
10.1007/s13238-021-00834-x
PMID
33826123
PMCID
PMC9095790
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
4-7-2021
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Aging, Brain, Energy Metabolism, Humans, Hypothalamus, Obesity, neuron, metabolism, hypothalamus, obesity, aging
Abstract
Obesity and aging are two important epidemic factors for metabolic syndrome and many other health issues, which contribute to devastating diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancers. The brain plays a central role in controlling metabolic physiology in that it integrates information from other metabolic organs, sends regulatory projections and orchestrates the whole-body function. Emerging studies suggest that brain dysfunction in sensing various internal cues or processing external cues may have profound effects on metabolic and other physiological functions. This review highlights brain dysfunction linked to genetic mutations, sex, brain inflammation, microbiota, stress as causes for whole-body pathophysiology, arguing brain dysfunction as a root cause for the epidemic of aging and obesity-related disorders. We also speculate key issues that need to be addressed on how to reveal relevant brain dysfunction that underlines the development of these disorders and diseases in order to develop new treatment strategies against these health problems.
Included in
Biochemical Phenomena, Metabolism, and Nutrition Commons, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Commons, Nutrition Commons