OREXIGENIC Meaning and
Definition
-
Orexigenic refers to substances, agents, or factors that stimulate or increase appetite and food intake in organisms. The term is derived from the Latin words "orexis" meaning appetite and "genic" meaning producing or causing.
In the context of metabolism and biology, orexigenic substances play a crucial role in regulating the desire to eat and influencing the intake of nutrients. They can act on specific receptors in the brain, particularly in the hypothalamus, which is responsible for appetite regulation. Orexigenic substances bind to these receptors, leading to the activation of neurons that stimulate hunger and food-seeking behaviors.
Hormones such as ghrelin, also known as the "hunger hormone," are classified as orexigenic, as they initiate a series of physiological responses that increase appetite and motivation to eat. Ghrelin is released by the stomach during fasting and acts on the hypothalamus to promote hunger. Other orexigenic factors include neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti-related peptide (AgRP), and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), all of which are involved in stimulating appetite.
Understanding the mechanisms and effects of orexigenic substances is crucial in the fields of nutrition, medicine, and neuroscience, as it can shed light on appetite regulation disorders, obesity, and potential therapeutic interventions to control appetite and weight.
Common Misspellings for OREXIGENIC
- irexigenic
- krexigenic
- lrexigenic
- prexigenic
- 0rexigenic
- 9rexigenic
- oeexigenic
- odexigenic
- ofexigenic
- otexigenic
- o5exigenic
- o4exigenic
- orwxigenic
- orsxigenic
- ordxigenic
- orrxigenic
- or4xigenic
- or3xigenic
- orezigenic
- orecigenic
Etymology of OREXIGENIC
The word orexigenic is derived from the combination of two Greek roots: orexis meaning appetite and genos meaning to produce. The suffix -ic is added to form an adjective. Thus, orexigenic literally means appetite-producing or stimulating appetite.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
