Vnitr Lek 2013, 59(9):808-817

Food intake regulation - 1^st part

L. Brunerová^*, M. Anděl

Centrum výzkumu diabetu, metabolizmu a výživy a Diabetologické centrum II. interní kliniky 3. lékařské fakulty UK a FN Královské Vinohrady Praha, přednosta prof. MUDr. Michal Anděl, CSc.

The review article summarizes a very complex process of appetite regulation: the part focused on homeostatic regulation of food intake. The aim of homeostatic regulation is to achieve energy balance, stabile weight and optimal nutrient intake, in contrast to hedonic regulation of food intake, in which emotional and motivational factors are involved. Homeostatic regulation could be divided into short-term and long-term regulation and comprises mainly gastrointestinal peptides, fat tissue hormones and central mechanisms localized in hypothalamus. It is a resultant of the action of orexigenic factors (increasing appetite and food intake) and anorexigenic factors (decreasing appetite and thus food intake), respectively. The anorexigenic factors include gastrointestinal peptides (e.g. cholecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide 1, bombesin, peptide YY and others), hormone of fat tissue leptin and centrally acting melanocortin system. On the contrary, orexigenic factors comprise of gastric ghrelin and centrally acting system of neuropeptide Y/Agouti-related peptide. Understanding the principles of the regulation of food intake is essential for comprehension of pathogenesis of eating disorders and obesity, whose prevalence has been recently increasing, and it provides potential targets for pharmacological interventions.

Keywords: homeostasis; peripheral and central regulation of food intake; gastrointestinal peptides; leptin; hypotalamus

Published: September 1, 2013  Show citation