Obesity is a global epidemic that contributes to a number of health complications including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and neuropsychiatric disorders.Research over the past two decades has increased substantially our knowledge of central and peripheral mechanisms underlying homeostatic energy balance.Homeostatic mechanisms involve multiple components including neuronal circuits, some originating in hypothalamus and brain stem, as well as peripherally-derived satiety, hunger and adiposity signals that modulate neural activity and regulate eating behavior. Several promising new targets are currently being evaluated, such as amylin analogues, leptin analogues, GLP-1 analogues, MC4R agonists, oxyntomodulin analogues, neuropeptide Y antagonists, cannabinoid type-1 receptor blockers , MetAP2 inhibitors, lipase inhibitors and anti-obesity vaccines.

References

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