Chronic CNS-mediated cardiometabolic actions of leptin: potential role of sex differences.

Previous studies using male rodents showed the adipocyte-derived hormone leptin acts in the brain to regulate cardiovascular function, energy balance, and glucose homeostasis. The importance of sex differences in cardiometabolic responses to leptin, however, is still unclear. We examined potential sex differences in leptin's chronic central nervous system (CNS)-mediated actions on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), appetite, and glucose homeostasis in normal and type 1 diabetic rats.