Fatty-acid-mediated hypothalamic inflammation and epigenetic programming

A high-fat diet is the main environmental cue that has been studied in the hypothalamus since the discovery of its connection with hypothalamic inflammation. Current evidence shows hypothalamic inflammation as a likely mechanism for the dysregulation on the homeostatic control of energy balance, which leads to metabolic alterations and obesity. Although this mechanism seems to be reversible when set during adulthood, we argue whether dietary fatty acids, during critical periods of development, could affect hypothalamic function permanently and set an increased susceptibility to obesity.

Source: The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry - September 8, 2016 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Helena C. Cesar, Luciana Pellegrini Pisani Source Type: research