neuropeptide Y(redirected from Receptors, neuropeptide y)
a 36-amino acid peptide neurotransmitter found in the brain and autonomic nervous system. It augments the vasoconstrictor effects of noradre
neuropeptide Y(redirected from Receptors, neuropeptide y)
a 36-amino acid peptide neurotransmitter found in the brain and autonomic nervous system. It augments the vasoconstrictor effects of noradrenergic neurons.
neuropeptide Y (NPY)
a natural substance that acts on the brain to stimulate eating. Laboratory animals injected with NPY greatly overeat. Substances that block the NPY receptor reduce the appetite. Leptin, a hormone that stimulates weight loss, reduces the output of NPY from the hypothalamus, a major production center. Another natural substance that stimulates the urge to eat is peptide YY. In animal experiments it has appeared to be at least as potent as NPY.
neu·ro·pep·tide Y(NPY) (nū'rō-pep'tīd)
A 36-amino acid peptide expressed in most regions of the central nervous system including the cortex, hypothalamus, thalamus, olfactory bulb, amygdala, and hippocampus, as well as the peripheral neurons of the sympathetic nervous system. Responsible for regulating various physiologic functions including feeding behavior, reproductive behavior, circadian rhythms, cardiovascular responses, memory, and stress response.