Perinatal nutrition and programming of the hypothalamic regulation of feeding behavior and Energy homeostasis
Résumé
The interest for the study of the influence of malnutrition on the development and function of the central nervous system (CNS) dates back to the mid-1960s when a large proportion of children all over the world were undernourished. These early investigations were essentially focused on the study of the consequences on learning and other cognitive functions of early nutrient deficiency and the analysis of the hippocampus as anatomical substrate. This chapter provides an overview of the hypothalamic regulation of energy homeostasis and of our actual knowledge about the impact of early malnutrition (under- or overnutrition) on the morphological and functional characteristics of the hypothalamic neuronal circuits regulating food intake and energy homeostasis. The development of the hypothalamic circuits regulating food intake is also affected by maternal overfeeding. Thus, increased proliferation, migration, and neuronal differentiation of the hypothalamic neuronal precursor cells has been observed in the embryos of dams fed a high-fat diet.