Neural Mechanisms of ingestive behaviour has long been one of the most intensively investigaged areas within neuroscience. Drug studies have been introduced to develop anti-obesity compounds and, more recently, to identify nerotransmitters which might be involved in the control of ingestive behaviour.

The current focus within this field is towards neurotransmitter receptors as it has become known that there are multiple receptor subtypes for each identified neurotransmitter.

The study of drug receptor subtypes and ingestive behaviour is growing very rapidly, and has become...

There is now enough basic work to sketch out the principal systems at all levels of the brain, from prefrontal cortex to lower brainstem, which are orchestrated to provide control of food selection, preference and consumption. At the same time, the complex interplay between central systems and signals generated from peripheral systems include the gut, liver and fat stores, as well as the interactions with the neuroendocrine system can be described in some detail. A continuing theme throughout the book is that the functional analysis of appetite and food intake cannot be limited to a single...