Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, Du Cane Rd., London W12 0NN, UK.
Neuropharmacology. 2012 Jul;63(1):18-30. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.02.004. Epub 2012 Feb 19.
Neuropeptides released by hypothalamic neurons play a major role in the regulation of feeding, acting both within the hypothalamus, and at other appetite regulating centres throughout the brain. Where classical neurotransmitters signal only within synapses, neuropeptides diffuse over greater distances affecting both nearby and distant neurons expressing the relevant receptors, which are often extrasynaptic. As well as triggering a behavioural output, neuropeptides also act as neuromodulators: altering the response of neurons to both neurotransmitters and circulating signals of nutrient status. The mechanisms of action of hypothalamic neuropeptides with established roles in feeding, including melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), the orexins, α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), agouti-gene related protein (AgRP), neuropeptide Y, and oxytocin, are reviewed in this article, with emphasis laid on both their effects on appetite regulating centres throughout the brain, and on examining the evidence for their physiological roles. In addition, evidence for the involvement of several putative appetite regulating hypothalamic neuropeptides is assessed including, ghrelin, cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), neuropeptide W and the galanin-like peptides. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Central control of Food Intake'.
下丘脑神经元释放的神经肽在调节摄食中起主要作用，不仅在下丘脑内部起作用，而且在大脑中的其他食欲调节中枢起作用。经典神经递质仅在突触内传递信号，而神经肽则扩散到更远的距离，影响表达相关受体的附近和远处神经元，这些受体通常位于突触外。神经肽不仅触发行为输出，还作为神经调质发挥作用：改变神经元对神经递质和循环营养状态信号的反应。本文综述了在摄食中具有既定作用的下丘脑神经肽的作用机制，包括黑色素浓缩激素（MCH）、食欲素、α-促黑素细胞激素（α-MSH）、刺鼠相关蛋白（AgRP）、神经肽 Y 和催产素，重点介绍了它们对大脑中食欲调节中枢的影响，并检查了其生理作用的证据。此外，还评估了几种假定的食欲调节下丘脑神经肽的参与情况，包括胃饥饿素、可卡因和安非他明调节转录物（CART）、神经肽 W 和甘丙肽样肽。本文是题为“摄食的中枢控制”的特刊的一部分。
