Obesity the scientific explanation

The hallmark of obesity is an increase in adipoctye (fat cell) number, however, the mechanisms underlying the proliferation of adipoctyes (increases in fat cell number) are not well understood.  Others have shown that the principle sympathetic nervous system postgangllionic neurotransmitter, orepinephrine, inhibts fat cell proliferation in vitro.  Therefore, Dr. Bartness lab tested whether the sympathetic nervous system innervation of white adipose tissue inhibits white adipoctye proliferation in vivo, as well as testing whether the sensory innervation of white fat also was involved in this response. This was accomplished by locally microinjecting the sympathetic neurotoxin, 6-hydroxy-dopamine (6OHDA) to selectively and locally kill the sympathetic nerves or capsaicin, the pungent part of red chilli peppers that also is a selective neurotoxin for unmylenated sensory nerves. 6OHDA but not capsaicin treated white fat showed a four-fold increase in fat cell proliferation, demonstrating an inhibitory role of the sympathetic but not sensory innervation of fat on adipoctye proliferation.  These results show an important role of the sympathetic nervous system in the control of fat cell proliferation and suggest that the decrease in sympathetic drive to this tissue that usually is associated with with obesity likely significantly contributes to the obese state in humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2006 Aug 3

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