The Role of Hypothalamic Inflammation in Diet-Induced Obesity and Its Association with Cognitive and Mood Disorders

Nutrients. 2021 Feb 3;13(2):498. doi: 10.3390/nu13020498.

Abstract

Obesity is often associated with cognitive and mood disorders. Recent evidence suggests that obesity may cause hypothalamic inflammation. Our aim was to investigate the hypothesis that there is a causal link between obesity-induced hypothalamic inflammation and cognitive and mood disorders. Inflammation may influence hypothalamic inter-connections with regions important for cognition and mood, while it may cause dysregulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and influence monoaminergic systems. Exercise, healthy diet, and glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists, which can reduce hypothalamic inflammation in obese models, could improve the deleterious effects on cognition and mood.

Keywords: cognitive disorders; dementia; depression; diet; hypothalamic inflammation; mood disorders; obesity.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology*
  • Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Cognition Disorders / prevention & control
  • Diet / adverse effects*
  • Diet, Healthy
  • Exercise
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide Receptors / agonists
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamic Diseases / complications*
  • Hypothalamic Diseases / therapy
  • Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / physiopathology
  • Inflammation / complications*
  • Inflammation / therapy
  • Mood Disorders / etiology*
  • Mood Disorders / physiopathology
  • Mood Disorders / prevention & control
  • Obesity / complications*
  • Obesity / etiology
  • Pituitary-Adrenal System / physiopathology

Substances

  • Glucagon-Like Peptide Receptors