Age-related changes in the shape of brain neurons lead to middle-age obesity

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Nagoya University researchers and their colleagues in Japan have found that middle-age obesity is caused by age-related changes in the shape of neurons in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that controls metabolism and appetite.

Mar 13 2024Nagoya University

Professor Kazuhiro Nakamura of the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, lead author of the studyAs we get older, we become more prone to being overweight and obesity. Obese people are more susceptible to diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and other chronic diseases. Previous studies have suggested that middle-age weight gain is caused by a decline in overall metabolism due to aging, but the mechanism was unclear.

The team next investigated the length of the primary cilia that had MC4Rs in the brains of 9-week-old rats and 6-month-old rats. The team found that MC4R+ cilia in middle-aged rats were significantly shorter than those in young rats. Accordingly, the metabolism and the fat-burning capacity of middle-aged rats were much lower than those of young rats.

In the study, the team also used genetic technologies to make MC4R+ cilia shorter in young rats. These rats showed increased food intake and decreased metabolism, leading to weight gain.

 

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