Developmental influences on circuits regulating brown adipose tissue function and susceptibility to obesity

Obese children have increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and are more likely to develop them at a young age. Early intervention in obese children is linked to better outcomes, specifically lower levels of obesity. Research in mice suggests that early intervention increases the amount of calories burned by the body in a resting state, leading to persistent reductions in body fat. Critical gaps in our understanding of the development of neuronal circuits regulating energy expenditure need to be filled so that more effective strategies to combat childhood obesity can be designed. The proposed research seeks to narrow these gaps by studying the maturation of the neuronal circuits that regulate heat production during the post-weaning period in mice (roughly equivalent to human infancy and early childhood). Brown adipose tissue (BAT) acts like a furnace by burning fat to release heat, and is especially important in small animals and babies. These studies will use cutting edge imaging technologies to evaluate the impact of a high fat diet and rapid weight gain on the development and function of neuronal circuits controlling BAT. This research will identify the degree to which changes to these neuronal circuits in early childhood impact susceptibility to obesity in adulthood. A better understanding of how diet and rapid weight gain influence BAT activity will lead to improved guidelines for promoting healthy growth during infancy. This is particularly important for treating underweight babies, which have higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes.