Role of the Hypothalamus in Obesity

It is important to make the distinction between the physiological drive of hunger, and the psychological drive to eat which is primarily an appetite. There are external influences that encourage us to find food and eat. However, appetite is externally influenced .Hunger is regulated by the hypothalamus gland in our brain and controlled by internal body mechanisms, hormones, and hormone-like substances. The hypothalamus is a command center in the brain and governs circadian cycles (the 24-hour day), emotions and behavior and homeostasis in the body. In order for the neurotransmitter in the brain to function properly, this gland must be able to process and regulate the signals generated by the nerves responding to various mediators of food intake. At any time, the hypothalamus communicates with sixty trillion body cells. This center not only signals us to eat; but when we eat, hunger decreases, and the satiety center in the hypothalamus signals us to stop.
A comparative research study on cell metabolism compared normal rats and rats prone to obesity, showed brain cell differences in the region of the hypothalamus that controls hunger and appetite. The genetic differences in overeater rats made them less responsive to the appetite controlling hormone leptin, causing them to eat more. It is also important to know that an imbalance in your sleep hours (less than 6 hours at a time) on a consistent basis may make you gain weight, because the leptin hormone signals your brain to take in extra calories by being hungry frequently and thus causing you to eat more (reference: Endocrine society Journal).