Sweetness preference and its impact on energy intake and body weight - a review of evidence.

In the last few years, several approaches have been postulated for tackling the global increase in overweight and obesity rates, including different dietary macronutrient compositions or the timing of meals. Recently, taste modulation has come into focus as a possible approach for influencing dietary behavior. The perception of sweet taste is innate and an evolutionary protection mechanism to prevent primates from eating poisonous plants.

The role of dietary sugars, overweight, and obesity in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a narrative review.

Nowadays, there is still a popular belief that dietary sugars, in particular sucrose, are directly linked to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Furthermore, since insulin action is impaired in T2DM, it is still believed that excluding dietary sugars from the diet can adequately treat T2DM. This might be based on the assumption that dietary sugars have a stronger impact on blood glucose levels than other carbohydrates.

The role of dietary sugars in health: molecular composition or just calories?

This review will focus on the question of whether dietary sugars are a relevant determinant in the global rise of overweight and obesity in adults, adolescents, and children. Initially, the review describes the current definitions for sugars in the diet and makes reference to them while analyzing their role in overweight and obesity as well as diet-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer. Second, it will focus particularly on sucrose and the question of whether it is the molecular composition of sucrose (glucose and fructose) or its energy content that promotes body weight gain and diet-related diseases.

Deep Brain Stimulation-Possible Treatment Strategy for Pathologically Altered Body Weight?

The treatment of obesity and eating disorders such as binge-eating disorder or anorexia nervosa is challenging. Besides lifestyle changes and pharmacological options, bariatric surgery represents a well-established and effective-albeit invasive-treatment of obesity, whereas for binge-eating disorder and anorexia nervosa mostly psychotherapy options exist. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), a method that influences the neuronal network, is by now known for its safe and effective applicability in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Activity-based anorexia activates nesfatin-1 immunoreactive neurons in distinct brain nuclei of female rats.

Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is an established animal model for the eating disorder anorexia nervosa (AN). The pathophysiology of AN and the involvement of food intake-regulatory peptides is still poorly understood. Nesfatin-1, an anorexigenic peptide also involved in the mediation of stress, anxiety and depression might be a likely candidate involved in the pathogenesis of AN.

Central and peripheral expression sites of phoenixin-14 immunoreactivity in rats.

Phoenixin is a pleiotropic peptide involved in reproduction, anxiety and recently also implicated in the control of food intake. Besides the 20-amino acid phoenixin, the 14-amino acid phoenixin-14 also shows bioactive properties. However, the expression sites of phoenixin-14 in the brain and peripheral tissues are not yet described in detail.

Phoenixin-14 injected intracerebroventricularly but not intraperitoneally stimulates food intake in rats.

Phoenixin, a recently discovered 20-amino acid peptide was implicated in reproduction. However, the expression in food intake-regulatory nuclei such as the paraventricular nucleus, the arcuate nucleus and the nucleus of the solitary tract suggests an implication of phoenixin in food intake regulation. Therefore, we investigated the effects of phoenixin-14, the shorter form of phoenixin, on food intake following intracerebroventricular (icv) and intraperitoneal (ip) injection in ad libitum fed male Sprague-Dawley rats.

Gastrointestinal Peptides During Chronic Gastric Electrical Stimulation in Patients With Intractable Vomiting.

Objectives: Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is an alternative therapy to treat patients with intractable vomiting. A preclinical study has demonstrated the modulation of the gastrointestinal (GI) peptide ghrelin by GES but such mechanism has never been investigated in patients. The aim of this work was to assess the effect of GES on GI peptide levels in patients with intractable vomiting.

Control of Food Intake by Gastrointestinal Peptides: Mechanisms of Action and Possible Modulation in the Treatment of Obesity.

This review focuses on the control of appetite by food intake-regulatory peptides secreted from the gastrointestinal tract, namely cholecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide 1, peptide YY, ghrelin, and the recently discovered nesfatin-1 via the gut-brain axis. Additionally, we describe the impact of external factors such as intake of different nutrients or stress on the secretion of gastrointestinal peptides. Finally, we highlight possible conservative-physical activity and pharmacotherapy-treatment strategies for obesity as well as surgical techniques such as deep brain stimulation and bariatric surgery also altering these peptidergic pathways.

Activity-Based Anorexia Reduces Body Weight without Inducing a Separate Food Intake Microstructure or Activity Phenotype in Female Rats-Mediation via an Activation of Distinct Brain Nuclei.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is accompanied by severe somatic and psychosocial complications. However, the underlying pathogenesis is poorly understood, treatment is challenging and often hampered by high relapse. Therefore, more basic research is needed to better understand the disease.

Expression and regulation of peripheral NUCB2/nesfatin-1.

Nesfatin-1, an 82 amino acid peptide was discovered in 2006 in the rat hypothalamus and described as a centrally acting anorexigenic peptide. Besides its central expression and actions, NUCB2/nesfatin-1 has been subsequently described to be predominantly expressed in the periphery and to exert several peripheral effects. The current review focuses on the expression sites of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in peripheral tissues of different species and its regulation by nutrition, body weight and various other parameters such as fetal development and sex.

Nesfatin-1: current status as a peripheral hormone and future prospects.

This review summarizes current data focusing on the peripheral effects of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 including the regulation of food intake, glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, cardiovascular effects and reproductive functions as well as its possible involvement in psychological disorders. Additionally, we will highlight gaps in knowledge in order to stimulate further research. Lastly, we will give an outlook on potential therapeutic implications of this pleiotropic peptide.

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood.

Research in the field of food intake regulation is gaining importance. This often includes the measurement of peptides regulating food intake. For the correct determination of a peptide's concentration, it should be stable during blood processing.

Peripheral and central localization of the nesfatin-1 receptor using autoradiography in rats.

Nesfatin-1 was recently identified and introduced as food intake-regulatory hormone. Soon thereafter, mounting evidence indicated a much broader role for nesfatin-1 with an involvement in the regulation of food intake, gastrointestinal motility, glucose homeostasis, blood pressure and stress. Despite the growing knowledge on the physiological regulation and functions of nesfatin-1, the receptor mediating these effects remains to be characterized.

Nesfatin-130-59 Injected Intracerebroventricularly Differentially Affects Food Intake Microstructure in Rats Under Normal Weight and Diet-Induced Obese Conditions.

Nesfatin-1 is well-established to induce an anorexigenic effect. Recently, nesfatin-130-59, was identified as active core of full length nesfatin-11-82 in mice, while its role in rats remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of nesfatin-130-59 injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) on the food intake microstructure in rats.

Plasma bile acids show a positive correlation with body mass index and are negatively associated with cognitive restraint of eating in obese patients.

Bile acids may be involved in the regulation of food intake and energy metabolism. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of plasma bile acids with body mass index (BMI) and the possible involvement of circulating bile acids in the modulation of physical activity and eating behavior. Blood was obtained in a group of hospitalized patients with normal weight (BMI 18.

An investigation of the need for sign language assessment in deaf education.

The attitudes of educators of the deaf and other professionals in deaf education concerning assessment of the use of American Sign Language (ASL) and other sign systems was investigated. A questionnaire was distributed to teachers in a residential school for the deaf in California. In addition to questions regarding the availability of sign language assessment at their schools, participants responded to items concerning their motivation to use a test for sign language measurement.