Divergent effects of central melanocortin signalling on fat and sucrose preference in humans.

van der Klaauw, Agatha A; Keogh, Julia M; Henning, Elana; Stephenson, Cheryl; Kelway, Sarah; Trowse, Victoria M; Subramanian, Naresh; O'Rahilly, Stephen et al. · Nat Commun · 2016

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Abstract

Melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4R)-expressing neurons modulate food intake and preference in rodents but their role in human food preference is unknown. Here we show that compared with lean and weight-matched controls, MC4R deficient individuals exhibited a markedly increased preference for high fat, but a significantly reduced preference for high sucrose food. These effects mirror those in Mc4r null rodents and provide evidence for a central molecular circuit influencing human macronutrient preference.

Medical subject headings