Tag: Melanocortin system

POMC neurons, when activated, trigger a powerful signal of satiety that inhibits appetite and reduces food intake. These critical neurons are primarily situated within two key areas of the central nervous system: the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus and the nucleus of the solitary tract in the brainstem. Their strategic placement allows them to receive and process both hormonal and neural signals related to the body's energy status.

Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is a precursor protein that plays a pivotal role in the central nervous system's control of appetite, with mutations in the POMC gene in humans being a cause of severe, early-onset obesity. The system operates primarily in the hypothalamus, balancing signals for hunger and fullness.