A concise and innovative account of clinical neuroendocrine disorders and the key principles underlying their diagnosis and management.

This cutting-edge, interdisciplinary volume describes established and state of the art approaches for exploring the pathways that influence and control appetite, including: behavioural, electrophysiological, neuroanatomical, gene knockout and pharmacological techniques. The book presents key peptide and neurotransmitter systems, together with newly emerging concepts of metabolic signalling and hypothalamic inflammation. The impact of early life experience on neuroendocrine appetite circuits is also looked at, including early programming of these circuits by circulating hormones. Finally, new emerging therapeutic approaches to appetite suppression are discussed, including those linked to bariatric (weight loss) surgery. Neuroendocrinology of Appetite is especially focused on established and emerging technologies and approaches for investigating appetite control. It is written so as to provide an overview of sufficient depth for an undergraduate or new scientist in the field to come up to speed in the complementary approaches used by researchers in this field. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the book aims to appeal to all those with a basic, clinical or therapeutic interest in research into obesity and eating disorders.

The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in the regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis. Hypothalamic neuronal circuits thus represent a privileged target for the treatment of eating disorders and metabolic diseases. The present eBook constitutes a unique collection of research articles and reviews that highlight new concepts and recent findings about the neuroendocrine control of feeding behavior.

Presents the State-of-the-Art in Fat Taste TransductionA bite of cheese, a few potato chips, a delectable piece of bacon - a small taste of high-fat foods often draws you back for more. But why are fatty foods so appealing? Why do we crave them? Fat Detection: Taste, Texture, and Post Ingestive Effects covers the many factors responsible for the se

There is now enough basic work to sketch out the principal systems at all levels of the brain, from prefrontal cortex to lower brainstem, which are orchestrated to provide control of food selection, preference and consumption. At the same time, the complex interplay between central systems and signals generated from peripheral systems include the gut, liver and fat stores, as well as the interactions with the neuroendocrine system can be described in some detail. A continuing theme throughout the book is that the functional analysis of appetite and food intake cannot be limited to a single focus, e.g. hypothalamic neuropeptides and their interactions, but must be based on a fully integrated view of the several contributing systems. Appetite and Body Weight: Integrative Systems and the Development of Anti-Obesity Drugs provides an expert guide to the neural, neurochemical, autonomic and endocrine interrelations which underpin appetite and the controls of food intake and body weight. The book covers many of the neurochemical entities that are currently under investigation, including: neuropeptides, leptin, insulin, monoamines and endogenous cannabinoids in relation to appetite and body-weight control. In addition to the neuroscience analysis, there are also chapters that provide an expert guide to some of the key psychological concepts that the researchers believe are essential in trying to understand the phenomena under investigation. The volume will also serve as an authoritative guide to the current emphasis on the development of novel, efficacious anti-obesity medication. - Provides an integrative view of the many systems involved in appetite how they interact to effect food intake (i.e. the brain, endocrine, gut, liver etc.) - Considers psychological aspects such as incentive, preference, liking and palatability, and sets these concepts in their behavioural, pharmacological and neural contexts - Examines the development of novel anti-obesity drugs, drawing on experience of pharmacological development work, pre-clinical tests for anti-obesity efficacy, and clinical trials of candidate anti-obesity compounds