ABSTRACT
Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a cyclic amino acid neuropeptide localized in the lateral hypothalamus. Although MCH is thought to be an important regulator of feeding behavior, the involvement of this peptide in body weight control has been unclear. To examine the role of MCH in the development of obesity, we assessed the effect of chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of MCH in C57BL/6J mice that were fed with regular or moderately high-fat (MHF) diets. Intracerebroventricular infusion of MCH (10 microg/day for 14 days) caused a slight but significant increase in body weight in mice maintained on the regular diet. In the MHF diet-fed mice, MCH more clearly increased the body weight accompanied by a sustained hyperphagia and significant increase in fat and liver weights. Plasma glucose, insulin, and leptin levels were also increased in the MCH-treated mice fed the MHF diet. These results suggest that chronic stimulation of the brain MCH system causes obesity in mice and imply that MCH may have a major role in energy homeostasis.
Subject(s)
Hypothalamic Hormones/adverse effects , Melanins/adverse effects , Obesity/etiology , Pituitary Hormones/adverse effects , Adipose Tissue/pathology , Animals , Blood Glucose/analysis , Body Weight/drug effects , Dietary Fats/administration & dosage , Drug Administration Schedule , Hyperphagia/chemically induced , Injections, Intraventricular , Insulin/analysis , Leptin/analysis , Liver/pathology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Obesity/pathology , Organ Size/drug effectsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Adequate adjustments by the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis during pregnancy allow women to remain euthyroid with only slight changes in thyroid volume and other thyroid functions. In approximately 10 percent of women, the challenge of thyroid economy results in sub-clinical hypothyroidism. This study is to elucidate the association between such hypothyroidism and postpartum depression, if any. METHOD: Blood samples were collected from 73 healthy subjects attending the antenatal clinc of the University Hospital of the West Indies, at booking, 28 weeks, 36 weeks of gestation, and 1 day and 6 weeks postpartum. Serum level of total thyroxine, free tri-iodothyronine, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined by radioimmunoassays. The thyroid volume was estimated by ultrasonography in some subjects. A self-rating depression scale was administered at 28 weeks of gestation and at 6 weeks postpartum for quantitative measurement of depression. The preliminary results revealed that 22 subjects (30 percent) had postpartum depression, 12 (16 percent) had mild depressin and 10 (14 percent) had moderated to marked depression. Of these, only 2 subjects had total thyroxine values less than 5.5g/100 ml and TSH values greater than 2.5 IU/ml. There were no significant changes between postpartum and antepartum thyroid volumes. CONCLUSION: Although a significant number of women in this study had postpartum depression, no significant relationship between depression and the serum levels of thyroid hormones was established.(Au)
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Thyroid Gland , Pregnancy , Depression, Postpartum/diagnosis , Hypothalamic Hormones/adverse effects , Thyrotropin/blood , Ultrasonography/methods , Thyroxine/blood , Cardiotocography , Data Collection , JamaicaABSTRACT
The correct use of hormones in genesiological cases is discussed with indications for their use, dosage levels and duration of treatment under the following groups, viz. hypothalamic hormones, hypophyseal hormones, other gonadotrophins, steroids, combinations of the foregoing and prostaglandins. The more important dangers associated with hormone therapy are then briefly discussed with a few examples of the more common and hazardous abuses.
