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Rexford S. Ahima, M.D., Ph.D.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Neural circuits for feeding and body weight regulation; interrelationship between central energy homeostatic mechanisms and adipocyte hormones; neural basis of metabolic phenotypes.

RESEARCH TECHNIQUES

Murine obese models, physiology, in situ hybridization, immunocytochemistry, neural cultures, radioimmunoassay, molecular biology.

RESEARCH SUMMARY

Obesity is a highly prevalent condition in the United States, and an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Our understanding of energy homeostasis and pathogenesis of obesity has been greatly enhanced by the discovery of monogenic mutations in rodents and humans, leptin, adiponectin and other hormones and cytokines secreted by adipose tissue, as well as the delineation of neural targets for these hormones in the hypothalamus and other brain regions. Leptin and other adipose hormones/cytokines are dependent on the status of energy balance, and in turn influence feeding behavior and energy balance by regulating the expression of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters involved in energy balance. There is increasing evidence that hormone signals related to energy balance have long term effects on neural structure and function, leading to establishment of different feeding, neuroendocrine and metabolic phenotypes. My laboratory is interested in how these mechansims underlie the development of obesity, diabetes and various metabolic disorders.

KEY WORDS:

Hypothalamus, adipocyte hormone; neural plasticity, neuroendocrine