Brain stem α-MSH decreases adiposity

The acute effects of POMC-derived peptides in the brain are known; however, the chronic effects of specific peptides are not. Eerola and colleagues used a lentiviral gene delivery vector to study the long-term effects of α-MSH in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) of the brain stem of mice. Their results demonstrate the key role of the NTS in the α-MSH-induced long-term anti-obesity effect and in regulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Read the full article at Eerola et al. (2014) Journal of Endocrinology 222 123–136; DOI:10.1530/JOE-14-0064