Gut Peptides.

Obesity occurs as a result of excessive energy intake and /or reduced energy expenditure. The hypothalamus is the principal region in the central nervous system that regulates appetite and energy homeostasis by incorporating neural and hormonal signals from the periphery. A large number of such hormones (gut peptides) are synthesized and secreted by cells in the gastrointestinal tract in addition to its function as a digestive system. Increasing evidence supports the role of gut peptides as short-term satiety signals regulating appetite and food intake. The anorexigenic gut peptides include PYY, PP, oxyntomodulin (OXM), GLP-1, and CCK. They are secreted mainly from the intestine, inhibit appetite, and promote satiety, whereas ghrelin, the only orexigenic peptide produced by the stomach, increases food intake. In this chapter we discuss the pathophysiology of gut peptides in health and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]