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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Jun 20.
Published in final edited form as: Physiol Rev. 2011 Apr;91(2):389–411. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00007.2010

FIGURE 4. CNS neurocircuits regulating energy and glucose homeostasis.

FIGURE 4

A number of hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic sites have been implicated in the action of leptin to regulate energy and glucose homeostasis. The hypothalamic ARC contains neuropeptide Y and agouti-related peptide (NPY/AgRP) neurons that stimulate food intake and are inhibited by leptin, and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons that reduce food intake and are stimulated by leptin. NPY/AgRP neurons also inhibit POMC neurons via synaptic release of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). ARC, arcuate nucleus; LepRb, leptin receptor; Mc3r/Mc4r, melanocortin-3/4 receptor; VMH, ventromedial hypothalamus; LHA, lateral hypothalamic area; PVN, paraventricular nucleus; DMH, dorsomedial hypothalamus; VTA, ventral tegmental area; NTS, nucleus of the solitary tract.