Antagonism for NPY signaling reverses cognitive behavior defects induced by activity-based anorexia in mice.

Patients with AN often express psychological symptoms such as body image distortion, cognitive biases, abnormal facial recognition, and deficits in working memory. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the impairment of cognitive behaviors in AN remain unknown. In the present study, we measured cognitive behavior using novel object recognition (NOR) tasks and mRNA expressions in hypothalamic neuropeptides in female C57BL/6J mice with activity-based anorexia (ABA).

Rubiscolin-6 activates opioid receptors to enhance glucose uptake in skeletal muscle.

Rubiscolin-6 is an opioid peptide derived from plant ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). It has been demonstrated that opioid receptors could control glucose homeostasis in skeletal muscle independent of insulin action. Therefore, Rubiscolin-6 may be involved in the control of glucose metabolism.

The Role of Ghrelin and Ghrelin Signaling in Aging.

With our aging society, more people hope for a long and healthy life. In recent years, researchers have focused on healthy longevity factors. In particular, calorie restriction delays aging, reduces mortality, and extends life.

A Role of Ginseng and Its Constituents in the Treatment of Central Nervous System Disorders.

Ginseng, a perennial plant belonging to the Panax genus of the Araliaceae family, has been used in China, Korea, and Japan as a traditional herbal medicine for thousands of years. Ginseng is recorded to have exhibited a wide variety of beneficial pharmacological effects and has become a popular and worldwide known health supplement and drug. The protective effects of ginseng on central nervous system are discussed in this review.

Role of gastrointestinal hormones in feeding behavior and obesity treatment.

Food intake regulation is generally evaluated by many aspects consisting of complex mechanisms, including homeostatic regulatory mechanism, which is based on negative feedback, and hedonic regulatory mechanism, which is driven by a reward system. One important aspect of food intake regulation is the peripheral hormones that are secreted from the gastrointestinal tract. These hormones are secreted from enteroendocrine cells as feedback to nutrient and energy intake, and will communicate with the brain directly or via the vagus nerve.

Allantoin ameliorates chemically-induced pancreatic β-cell damage through activation of the imidazoline I3 receptors.

Objective. Allantoin is the primary active compound in yams (Dioscorea spp.).