The incidence of obesity and diabetes continues to rise. Alarmingly this is a trend that is not limited to the United States; rather obesity and its co-morbidities such as type II diabetes mellitus are on the rise and pose a serious threat to public health around the world. Thus, identifying effective strategies for body weight and blood glucose control is a priority. Exercise provides multiple metabolic benefits, including improved insulin sensitivity and body composition. Within the brain, the melanocortin system is an interface between signals of metabolic state and neural pathways governing energy balance and glucose metabolism. In the current proposal, we will identify cellular mechanisms through which exercise alters the synaptic and cellular properties of hypothalamic melanocortin neurons. We will also determine a role for these acute/chronic cellular mechanisms to regulate metabolism.
The proposed studies will greatly increase our understanding of the acute mechanisms underlying exercise dependent changes in the brain. The study findings will allow us to better understand how to co-opt mechanisms by which exercise promotes improvements in metabolism.
