Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding Behavior

Transcribed within the lateral hypothalamus, the neuropeptides orexin/hypocretin (OX) and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) both promote palatable food intake and are stimulated by palatable food. While these two neuropeptides share this similar positive relationship with food, recent evidence sug...

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Main Authors: Jessica R. Barson, Irene Morganstern, Sarah F. Leibowitz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:International Journal of Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/983964
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author Jessica R. Barson
Irene Morganstern
Sarah F. Leibowitz
author_facet Jessica R. Barson
Irene Morganstern
Sarah F. Leibowitz
author_sort Jessica R. Barson
collection DOAJ
description Transcribed within the lateral hypothalamus, the neuropeptides orexin/hypocretin (OX) and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) both promote palatable food intake and are stimulated by palatable food. While these two neuropeptides share this similar positive relationship with food, recent evidence suggests that this occurs through different albeit complementary effects on behavior, with OX promoting food seeking and motivation for palatable food and MCH functioning during ongoing food intake, reinforcing the consumption of calorically dense foods. Further differences are evident in their effects on physiological processes, which are largely opposite in nature. For example, activation of OX receptors, which is neuronally excitatory, promotes waking, increases energy expenditure, and enhances limbic dopamine levels and reward. In contrast, activation of MCH receptors, which is neuronally inhibitory, promotes paradoxical sleep, enhances energy conservation, reduces limbic dopamine, and increases depressive behavior. This review describes these different effects of the neuropeptides, developing the hypothesis that they stimulate the consumption of palatable food through excessive seeking in the case of OX and through excessive energy conservation in the case of MCH. It proposes that OX initiates food intake and subsequently stimulates MCH which then acts to prolong the consumption of palatable, energy-dense food.
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spelling doaj-art-db984e15c48543b896ac7cbf4542fab12025-08-20T03:24:21ZengWileyInternational Journal of Endocrinology1687-83371687-83452013-01-01201310.1155/2013/983964983964Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding BehaviorJessica R. Barson0Irene Morganstern1Sarah F. Leibowitz2Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USALaboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USALaboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USATranscribed within the lateral hypothalamus, the neuropeptides orexin/hypocretin (OX) and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) both promote palatable food intake and are stimulated by palatable food. While these two neuropeptides share this similar positive relationship with food, recent evidence suggests that this occurs through different albeit complementary effects on behavior, with OX promoting food seeking and motivation for palatable food and MCH functioning during ongoing food intake, reinforcing the consumption of calorically dense foods. Further differences are evident in their effects on physiological processes, which are largely opposite in nature. For example, activation of OX receptors, which is neuronally excitatory, promotes waking, increases energy expenditure, and enhances limbic dopamine levels and reward. In contrast, activation of MCH receptors, which is neuronally inhibitory, promotes paradoxical sleep, enhances energy conservation, reduces limbic dopamine, and increases depressive behavior. This review describes these different effects of the neuropeptides, developing the hypothesis that they stimulate the consumption of palatable food through excessive seeking in the case of OX and through excessive energy conservation in the case of MCH. It proposes that OX initiates food intake and subsequently stimulates MCH which then acts to prolong the consumption of palatable, energy-dense food.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/983964
spellingShingle Jessica R. Barson
Irene Morganstern
Sarah F. Leibowitz
Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding Behavior
International Journal of Endocrinology
title Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding Behavior
title_full Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding Behavior
title_fullStr Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding Behavior
title_full_unstemmed Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding Behavior
title_short Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding Behavior
title_sort complementary roles of orexin and melanin concentrating hormone in feeding behavior
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/983964
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