Acupuncture ameliorates diet-induced obesity via the vagal-GLP-1-ARC circuit: neural mechanism of anorexigenic action.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Electroacupuncture (EA) has demonstrated efficacy in ameliorating obesity through its marked appetite-suppressing effects. This study aims to elucidate the peripheral-central communication mechanism underlying EA's appetite inhibition mediated by the "vagal afferent fiber-nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS)-hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC)" neural circuit.

Methods

High-fat diet-induced obese rats received EA or transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for 8 weeks. Furthermore, we employed chemogenetic approaches to activate NTS glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) neurons (NTS^GLP-1) and utilized capsaicin for gastric vagal deafferentation (GVND). Outcomes included metabolic profiles, vagal electrophysiology, expression of NTS^GLP-1 a

SUBMITTER: Yang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12781781 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature