Obesity can unfavourably alter hormonal and metabolic status via resistance to the hormone leptin, and a vicious cycle may occur in which insulin/leptin resistance and obesity aggravate one another. The vicious cycle is putatively fuelled by continuously high insulin/leptin stimulation and fat storage, as a result of high intake of strongly insulin/leptin stimulating foods and energy. Both insulin and leptin normally function as satiety signals to the hypothalamus in the brain; however, insulin/leptin resistance may reduce this signal and therefore allow continued overfeeding despite large body fat stores. In addition, reduced leptin signalling to the brain may reduce leptin's normal effect to maintain an appropriately high metabolic rate. COUNT 5
QSN1 Obesity can cause resistance to which hormone? ANS1 leptin QSN2 In the so called vicious cycle, what aggravates obesity to continue the cycle? ANS2 insulin/leptin resistance QSN3 A characteristic of the cycle other than fat storage is a continuously high stimulation of what? ANS3 insulin/leptin QSN4 What function do insulin and leptin normally provide in the body? ANS4 satiety signals to the hypothalamus QSN5 What effect does insulin/leptin resistance have on the function of insulin/leptin? ANS5 reduce this signal