ABSTRACT
References...............................................................................................................226
Following. food. ingestion,. the. alimentary. organs. secrete. a. complex. array. of. substances.that.play.a.role.in.meal.termination..These.signals.use.neural,.paracrine,.or. endocrine.pathways.to.convey.information.in.an.integrated.manner.to.hindbrain.or. hypothalamic.structures.that.control.food.intake.and.energy.balance..They.also.play. important. roles. in. digestion. and. absorption,. including. gastrointestinal. secretion,. motility,.and.blood.flow,.as.well.as.whole-organism.physiological.function..These. signals.are.generated.from.gut.compartments.such.as.the.stomach.and.intestine.and. primarily.influence.aspects.of.short-term.control.of.food.intake;.however,.they.either. directly,. or. indirectly,. also. influence. long-term. energy. balance.. Other. peripheral. secretory.organs.such.as.the.pancreas,.liver,.adrenal.glands,.the.gonads,.and.adipose. tissue.also.produce.numerous.substances.that.have.profound.effects.on.food.intake. and.energy.balance..The.picture.is.complicated.by.the.fact.that.several.hormones.that. act.peripherally.can.also.act.in.the.brain.or.be.produced.by.the.brain,.with.seemingly. different. functions..Therefore,. teasing.out. their. endocrine. effects. can.prove.challenging..This.chapter.deals.primarily.with.endocrine.signals.traditionally.known.to. affect.food.intake.and.body.weight..The.roles.of.gut-derived.and.neuronally.derived. signals.involved.in.food.intake.are.discussed.in.Chapters.9,.10,.and.13,.respectively,. of.this.book,.but.because.some.gut.signals.exert.their.action.through.an.endocrine. route,.they.will.also.be.briefly.discussed.here.
