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The Role of Brain in Energy Balance

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Obesity and Brain Function

Part of the book series: Advances in Neurobiology ((NEUROBIOL,volume 19))

Abstract

Energy homeostasis is regulated by homeostatic and nonhomeostatic reward circuits which are closely integrated and interrelated. Before, during, and after meals, peripheral nutritional signals, through hormonal and neuronal pathways, are conveyed to selective brain areas, namely the hypothalamic nuclei and the brainstem, the main brain areas for energy balance regulation. These orexigenic and anorexigenic centers are held responsible for the integration of those signals and for an adequate output to peripheral organs involved in metabolism and energy homeostasis.

Feeding includes also a hedonic behavior defined as food intake for pleasure independently of energy requirement. This nonhomeostatic regulation of energy balance is based on food reward properties, unrelated to nutritional demands, and involves areas like mesolimbic reward system, such as the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens, and also opioid, endocannabinoid, and dopamine systems.

Herein, focus will be put on the brain circuits of homeostatic and nonhomeostatic regulation of food intake and energy expenditure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physiology, Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences—IBILI, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Paulo Matafome & Raquel Seiça

  2. Department of Complementary Sciences, Coimbra Health School (ESTeSC), Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Paulo Matafome

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  1. Paulo Matafome
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  2. Raquel Seiça
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Correspondence to Raquel Seiça .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physiology, Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences—IBILI, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Liliana Letra

  2. Institute of Physiology, Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences—IBILI, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Raquel Seiça

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Matafome, P., Seiça, R. (2017). The Role of Brain in Energy Balance. In: Letra, L., Seiça, R. (eds) Obesity and Brain Function. Advances in Neurobiology, vol 19. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63260-5_2

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