2021 Volume 58 Issue 3 Pages 237-240
More than 20 years have passed since the identification of leptin, an anorexic hormone secreted from white adipose tissue. Since an abnormal condition in the appetite control system progresses to metabolic syndromes such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension, elucidating the actions of appetite-related hormones may contribute to their prevention. It has been indicated that autonomic actions induced by leptin are implicated in the control of appetite and metabolism, and the efferent sympathetic branches of brown adipose tissue, the liver, and kidney contribute to the regulation of thermogenesis, glucose metabolism, and cardiovascular function, respectively. Here, we mainly describe the action of leptin on the autonomic nerves, and additionally explain the central mechanism of leptin action and the afferent pathway from the peripheral organs.
