The effect of obesogenic diets on brain Neuropeptide Y

•Obesogenic diets alter hypothalamic NPY expression depending on diet composition.•The NPY system is hypersensitive in high-fat high-sugar diet-induced obese brains.•The NPY-mesolimbic interaction may be important in obesity.

Obesity is a major health problem characterized by accumulated fat mass. The availability of an energy-dense, highly palatable diet plays an important role in obesity development. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), an orexigenic peptide, is affected by dietary composition and NPY can affect dietary preference. The hypothalamic NPY system is well characterized and has been studied in several models of obesity. However, findings from models of diet-induced obesity are not straightforward. In addition, NPY plays a role in (food-)motivated behaviors and interacts with the mesolimbic dopamine system, both of which are altered in obesity. We here review the effect of obesogenic diets on NPY levels in the hypothalamus and reward-related regions.

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