Neural control of hepatic lipid metabolism: A (patho)physiological perspective

Our body is well designed to store energy in times of nutrient excess and release energy in times of need. This adaptation to the external environment is achieved by both humoral factors and the autonomic nervous system. Already in the 19th century, Claude Bernard pointed out the importance of the autonomic nervous system in the control of glucose metabolism. In the next century, the discovery of insulin and the development of techniques to measure hormone concentrations shifted the focus of the control of metabolism to the secretion of hormones, thus functionally "decapitating" the body. Just before the end of the 20th century, starting with the discovery of leptin in 1994, the control of energy metabolism went back to our heads. Today, the autonomic nervous system is acknowledged as one of the important determinants of liver metabolism and as a possible treatment target.
This thesis investigates the role of the autonomic nervous system in the control of hepatic lipid metabolism during different physiological conditions. We found that the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system represent complimentary forces, fine-tuning hepatic lipid metabolism during different nutritional states.