Department of Physiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Int J Obes (Lond). 2009 Apr;33 Suppl 1:S16-21. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2009.11.
A variety of circulating signals provide essential information to the central nervous system (CNS) regarding nutritional status. The gastrointestinal system produces many such molecules that are now known to have profound effects on feeding behavior and the control of metabolism as a consequence of their ability to regulate the neural circuitry involved in metabolic homeostasis. Although many of these substances have been suggested to directly access such brain centers, their lipophobic characteristics suggest that alternative mechanisms should be considered. In this paper, we consider one such alternative, namely, that a specialized group of CNS structures collectively known as the sensory circumventricular organs (CVOs), which are not protected by the normal blood-brain barrier, may play important roles in such blood to brain communications. Specifically, we review a developing literature that shows receptors for, and functional actions of, gastrointestinal hormones such as amylin, cholecystokinin, ghrelin and peptide YY in the area postrema and subfornical organ. Collectively, these observations suggest potentially significant roles for the sensory CVOs in the regulation of energy balance.
各种循环信号为中枢神经系统 (CNS) 提供有关营养状况的重要信息。胃肠道系统会产生许多这样的分子，现在已知它们能够调节参与代谢稳态的神经回路，从而对进食行为和代谢控制产生深远影响。尽管许多这些物质被认为可以直接进入大脑中枢，但它们的疏水性特征表明应该考虑替代机制。在本文中，我们考虑了一种这样的替代机制，即一组被称为感觉 circumventricular 器官 (CVOs) 的专门 CNS 结构，它们不受正常血脑屏障的保护，可能在这种血液到大脑的通讯中发挥重要作用。具体来说，我们回顾了一项正在发展的文献，该文献表明，在后极和下丘脑中存在胃肠激素（如胰淀素、胆囊收缩素、胃饥饿素和肽 YY）的受体及其功能作用。总的来说，这些观察结果表明感觉 CVOs 在调节能量平衡方面可能具有重要作用。
