Neurobiology of Nutrition & Metabolism Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany.
Mol Metab. 2023 Dec;78:101817. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101817. Epub 2023 Oct 6.
Interoception plays an important role in homeostatic regulation of energy intake and metabolism. Major interoceptive pathways include gut-to-brain and adipose tissue-to brain signaling via vagal sensory nerves and hormones, such as leptin. However, signaling via spinal sensory neurons is rapidly emerging as an additional important signaling pathway. Here we provide an in-depth review of the known anatomy and functions of spinal sensory pathways and discuss potential mechanisms relevant for energy balance homeostasis in health and disease. Because sensory innervation by dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons goes far beyond vagally innervated viscera and includes adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and skin, it is in a position to provide much more complete metabolic information to the brain. Molecular and anatomical identification of function specific DRG neurons will be important steps in designing pharmacological and neuromodulation approaches to affect energy balance regulation in disease states such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer.
内脏感知在能量摄入和代谢的体内平衡调节中起着重要作用。主要的内脏感知途径包括通过迷走感觉神经和激素（如瘦素）进行的肠道到大脑和脂肪组织到大脑的信号传递。然而，通过脊髓感觉神经元进行信号传递正迅速成为另一个重要的信号传递途径。本文深入综述了已知的脊髓感觉通路的解剖结构和功能，并讨论了健康和疾病状态下与能量平衡稳态相关的潜在机制。由于背根神经节 (DRG) 神经元的感觉神经支配远远超出了迷走神经支配的内脏，包括脂肪组织、骨骼肌和皮肤，因此它能够向大脑提供更完整的代谢信息。功能特异性 DRG 神经元的分子和解剖学鉴定将是设计药理学和神经调节方法以影响肥胖、糖尿病和癌症等疾病状态下的能量平衡调节的重要步骤。
