Due to the dynamic development of molecular neurobiology and bioinformatic methods several novel brain neuropeptides have been identified and characterized in recent years. Contemporary techniques of selective molecular detection e.g. in situ Real-Time PCR, microdiffusion and some bioinformatics strategies that base on searching for single structural features common to diverse neuropeptides such as hidden Markov model (HMM) have been successfully introduced. A convincing majority of neuropeptides have unique properties as well as a broad spectrum of physiological activity in numerous neuronal pathways including the hypothalamus and limbic system. The newly discovered but uncharacterized regulatory factors nesfatin-1, phoenixin, spexin and kisspeptin have the potential to be unique modulators of stress responses and eating behaviour. Accumulating basic studies revelaed an intriguing role of these neuropeptides in the brain pathways involved in the pathogenesis of anxiety behaviour. Nesfatin-1, phoenixin, spexin and kisspeptin may also distinctly affect the energy homeostasis and modulate food intake not only at the level of hypothalamic centres. Moreover, in patients suffered from anxiety and anorexia nervosa a significant, sex-related changes in the plasma neuropeptide levels occurred. It should be therefore taken into account that the targeted pharmacomodulation of central peptidergic signaling may be potentially helpful in the future treatment of certain neuropsychiatric and metabolic disorders. This article reviews recent evidence dealing with the hypothetical role of these new factors in the anxiety-related circuits and pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa.

中文翻译：

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新型下丘脑神经肽nesfatin-1，phoenixin，spexin和kisspeptin在焦虑和神经性厌食症的发病机理中的潜在作用。

由于分子神经生物学和生物信息学方法的动态发展，近年来已经鉴定和表征了几种新颖的脑神经肽。已经成功地引入了选择性分子检测的现代技术，例如原位实时PCR，微扩散和一些生物信息学策略，这些策略基于对各种神经肽共有的单个结构特征（例如隐马尔可夫模型（HMM））的搜索。令人信服的大多数神经肽在包括下丘脑和边缘系统在内的许多神经元通路中具有独特的特性以及广泛的生理活性。新发现但尚未表征的调节因子nesfatin-1，phoenixin，spexin和kissepteptin可能是应激反应和饮食行为的独特调节剂。不断积累的基础研究揭示了这些神经肽在参与焦虑行为发病机理的脑通路中的有趣作用。Nesfatin-1，phoenixin，spexin和kisspeptin可能不仅在下丘脑中心水平也显着影响能量稳态并调节食物摄入。此外，在患有焦虑症和神经性厌食症的患者中，血浆神经肽水平发生了与性别相关的显着变化。因此，应考虑到，中央肽能信号转导的靶向药物调节可能在某些神经精神病和代谢性疾病的未来治疗中可能有帮助。本文回顾了有关这些新因素在焦虑相关回路和神经性厌食症的病理生理中的假设作用的最新证据。