Hypothalamic obesity (abbreviated HO or HyOb) is a rare condition that can be congenital or acquired. Congenital causes include Prader-Willi syndrome and mutations of LEP (

leptin Leptin (from Ancient Greek, Greek λεπτός ''leptos'', "thin" or "light" or "small"), also known as obese protein, is a protein hormone predominantly made by adipocytes (cells of adipose tissue). Its primary role is likely to regulate long ...

gene), LEPR,

POMC Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is a precursor polypeptide with 241 amino acid residues. POMC is synthesized in corticotrophs of the anterior pituitary from the 267-amino-acid-long polypeptide precursor pre-pro-opiomelanocortin (pre-POMC), by the ...

, MC4R, and

CART A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by draught animals such as horses, donkeys, mules and oxen, or even smaller animals such as goats or large dogs. A handcart ...

. It can also result from injuries to the

hypothalamus The hypothalamus (: hypothalami; ) is a small part of the vertebrate brain that contains a number of nucleus (neuroanatomy), nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions is to link the nervous system to the endocrin ...

either from trauma, therapeutic radiation, brain surgery, and especially

craniopharyngioma A craniopharyngioma is a rare type of brain tumor derived from pituitary gland embryonic tissue that occurs most commonly in children, but also affects adults. It may present at any age, even in the prenatal and neonatal periods, but peak inciden ...

and its treatments. Possible treatments include

bariatric surgery Bariatric surgery (also known as metabolic surgery or weight loss surgery) is a surgical procedure used to manage obesity and obesity-related conditions. Long term weight loss with bariatric surgery may be achieved through alteration of gut ho ...

and

melanocortin 4 receptor The melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) is a G protein-coupled receptor involved in regulating energy homeostasis, appetite, and sexual function. It plays a key role in metabolic processes and is predisposes to certain forms of obesity in humans. MC4R ...

agonists such as

setmelanotide Setmelanotide, sold under the brand name Imcivree, is a medication used for the treatment of genetic obesity caused by a rare single-gene mutation. The most common side effects include injection site reactions, skin hyperpigmentation (skin pat ...

References

{{Obesity Risk factors for obesity Hypothalamus disorders Classification of obesity