2010 - 19th Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium

Session Time : 4/22/10 10:30 AM - 4/22/10 11:45 AM

Content Area : Honors Teaching Students

Student Presenters :
Johnstone Miller Johnstone Physiology

Mentors and/or Co-Authors :
Russell Borski Biology

Abstract Title : Hormonal Regulation of Appetite: Therapeutic Targets for Eating Disorders

Abstract :
In the majority of the western world, especially America, food is readily available. For this reason, many disorders including obesity and diabetes are increasing in prevalence. In addition to obesity, disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa plague many individuals. Food intake is controlled by appetite suppressing (anorexigenic) and appetite stimulating (orexigenic) hormones. These hormones work in concert to regulate food intake and metabolism, governing energy balance in the organism. Small changes to the concentration of these hormones can have dire consequences and result in various pathologies associated with eating too much or too little. After studying the major hormones associated with appetite regulation, we examined current research focused on the identification and development of effective therapeutics that target these endocrine pathways. Researchers and pharmaceutical companies hope to develop treatments for the wide range of eating disorders affecting today’s society. In developing such therapeutics, however, we agree that researchers must consider the unavoidable fact that appetite regulatory hormones affect a wide range of physiological functions and each other. An interconnected and synergistic relationship between these factors increases the difficulty of finding the much sought after cure to eating disorders like obesity.