Name E.M. van der Zwaal
Neuroscience and Pharmacology
Section Neurobiology of behaviour
Function PhD-student, MD
E-mail:
e.m.vanderzwaal@umcutrecht.nl tel:+31- 88-75-68076
Supervisor S.E. la Fleur; R.A.H. Adan
Title research Investigation of drug-induced weight alterations to identify novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes
Summary research Olanzapine is an effective and commonly prescribed antipsychotic drug used in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Unfortunately significant weight gain is a common side effect. This weight gain can compromise patient compliance and is often accompanied by dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia, which increases the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
So far it is not completely understood what mechanisms underlie olanzapine-induced weight gain. Olanzapine has affinity for multiple receptors, including dopamine D2, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) 2A and 2C, histamine H1, alpha-adrenergic and muscarinic receptors. Many of these receptors are known to play a role in the regulation of feeding behavior or energy balance and could therefore be involved.
We aim to identify the mechanisms and receptors responsible for olanzapine-induced weight gain, by examining the effects of olanzapine on different aspects of energy balance, such as locomotor activity, meal frequency, meal size, food preference and food-motivated behavior. Identifying the drug targets responsible will then provide opportunities to develop novel drugs with more beneficial effects on body weight.