Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.1
3.7
Journals
Metabolites
Special Issues
The Interaction Between Metabolic Dysfunction and Hypothalamic Inflammation
share announcement

The Interaction Between Metabolic Dysfunction and Hypothalamic Inflammation

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Endocrinology and Clinical Metabolic Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 395

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Joana M. Gaspar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
Interests: obesity; neuroinflammation; metabolism; metabolic disorders; neuropsy-chiatry disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The regulation of energy homeostasis is a complex and highly coordinated process designed to maintain the stability of body energy stores over time. The hypothalamus serves as the primary center for regulating whole-body energy metabolism. It plays a crucial role in thermoregulation, satiety, sleep, sexual behavior, and emotional control. Hypothalamic neural cells respond to peripheral signals that regulate food intake, energy expenditure, and glucose and lipid metabolism in a homeostatic manner. Additionally, the hypothalamus integrates with limbic and cortical areas to coordinate hedonic responses to food.

Disruptions in the communication between the hypothalamus, other brain regions, and peripheral organs contribute to the development of chronic conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This Special Issue explores the role of the hypothalamus as a central regulator of whole-body energy metabolism. Key areas of focus include, but are not limited to, the molecular mechanisms underlying hypothalamic physiology and pathophysiology in regulating food intake, energy expenditure, and liver metabolism; the influence of microbiota and the gut–brain axis on energy homeostasis; obesity-induced neuroinflammation and dysregulated brain metabolism; and potential molecular targets for obesity treatment. Submissions addressing other relevant and emerging challenges in this field are also highly encouraged.

Dr. Joana M. Gaspar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • metabolic disorders
  • neuroinflammation
  • hypothalamus
  • energy homeostasis
  • feeding behavior
  • high-fat diets
  • obesity

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 1558 KB  
Article
Chronic Caffeine Consumption Prevents Body Weight Gain and Glucose Intolerance in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Mice Model
by Giuseppe Faraco, Natália F. Mendes, Luisa O. Schmitt, Tamires S. Stivanin, Elisa Gaspar, Nicolle Platt, Manuella P. Kaster and Joana M. Gaspar
Metabolites 2026, 16(6), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo16060381 - 31 May 2026
Viewed by 114
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Caffeine consumption has been reported to have beneficial effects in metabolic disorders; however, its effects on food intake are not fully elucidated. This study evaluated the impact of chronic caffeine consumption on weight gain, food intake, and metabolic parameters in C57BL/6 [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Caffeine consumption has been reported to have beneficial effects in metabolic disorders; however, its effects on food intake are not fully elucidated. This study evaluated the impact of chronic caffeine consumption on weight gain, food intake, and metabolic parameters in C57BL/6 male mice. Methods: Eight-week-old male mice (28 animals) were divided into four groups: control (chow diet), caffeine (chow diet + 1 g/L caffeine in drinking water), high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD + caffeine (HFD + 1 g/L caffeine in drinking water). Diets and caffeine were provided ad libitum for 8 weeks. Food and water intake were recorded weekly, and blood glucose was measured every 4 weeks. After 8 weeks of diet and caffeine exposure, metabolic tests were conducted, and tissues were collected for biochemical analysis. Results: HFD consumption for 8 weeks induced an increase in body weight and adiposity compared to the chow diet, without changes in food intake. Caffeine consumption prevented body weight gain and adiposity, although it increased food intake. Caffeine also improved glucose tolerance in the HFD mouse model, without changes in random blood glucose, triglyceride, or cholesterol levels. Analysis of hypothalamic neuropeptide (Agrp, NPY, Pomc, Cart), involved in the control of food intake, showed no differences in expression. There were also no changes observed in locomotion nor in anxiety-like behavior. Conclusions: In conclusion, chronic high-fat diet (HFD) exposure induced obesity characterized by increased body weight and adiposity without altering food intake. Chronic caffeine consumption counteracted HFD-induced weight gain and fat accumulation and improved glucose tolerance, despite increasing food intake. Importantly, caffeine consumption in the HFD group did not affect locomotor activity or anxiety-like behavior, suggesting that its metabolic effects are not driven by changes in general activity or emotional state. Overall, these findings indicate that chronic caffeine consumption improves metabolic homeostasis in HFD-fed mice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interaction Between Metabolic Dysfunction and Hypothalamic Inflammation)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-1
Back to TopTop