Progress in drug therapy for hypothalamic obesity

Abstract

Hypothalamic obesity (HO) is a complicated and uncommon disease affecting multiple regulatory pathways of energy intake and metabolism in the brain, regulation of the autonomic nervous system and peripheral hormonal signaling. Currently, drug treatment mainly involves stimulating sympathetic nerve excitation and fat tissue thermogenesis, thereby inhibiting rapid weight gain by increasing fat breakdown and energy consumption. In addition, some drugs can also act on the reward center of the brain to inhibit excessive food intake in HO patients. This article systematically introduces the clinical benefit data, adverse reactions, and application prospects of newly developed drugs such as oxytocin (OXT), phentermine and topiramate(Ph/T), tesofensine, setmelanotide, etc.

Keywords

• obesity|brain tumor|hypothalamic injury|energy homeostasis|drug intervention