Hormones, spectra, reference

Excess adiposity, particularly the abdominal obesity associated with increased waist circumference, is associated with insulin resistance, hypertension, and proinflammatory states. The prevalence of this complex of comorbidities associated with obesity, now referred to as the metabolic syndrome, is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States (Grundy et al., 2004 Roth et al., 2002). Indeed, increased abdominal adiposity is one of a cluster of factors that are used in the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Abdominal tissue in the trunk occurs in several compartments, including subcutaneous and intraperitoneal or visceral fat. Visceral fat in particular appears to contribute to perturbed fuel metabolism by at least two mechanisms. First, hormones and free fatty acids released from visceral fat are released into the portal circulation and impact directly on metabolism of the liver. Second, the visceral adipose depot produces a different spectrum of adipocytokines than that produced by subcutaneous fat (Kershaw and Flier, 2004). 

This is quantitatively probably the most frequent component of the IDD spectrum. Cerebral hypothyroidism refers to the effect of hypothyroidism on the brain in childhood and adult life, in contrast to the effect on the fetus and in early infancy. There is a more striking effect of hypothyroidism on the brain than on other organs. This produces the characteristic mental torpor and apathy characteristic of the iodine-deficient subjects - it can be reversed at the population level by correction of iodine deficiency, just as it can be reversed in an individual patient by treatment with thyroid hormones (Hetzei, 2004). In a severe endemic, 30-70% of the population may be suffering from cerebral hypothyroidism, as indicated by a low serum thyroxine level (T4) (Buttfield and Hetzei, 1967 Kochupillai ft (S /., 1973). 

FIGURE 4,13 Positive ion plasma desorption mass spectrum of the tryptic digest of recombinant human growth hormone after washing with deionized water. (Reprinted with permission from reference 30). 

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