Research summary
Stress affects our eating habits, physical activity, and blood sugar and fat levels. Although stress hormones can help us respond to challenges, prolonged elevations in these levels can have detrimental neurological and metabolic effects. If the brain’s ability to sense hormones and nutrients becomes impaired, the body is less able to regulate sugar, fat and energy levels, resulting in metabolic complications and diseases.
As Canada Research Chair in Brain Regulation of Metabolism, Dr. Jessica Yue is studying how stress-related hormones in our brain alter how we metabolize sugar, fat and energy. By furthering our understanding of how stress-related hormones affect the brain’s ability to regulate metabolism, Yue and her research team aim to uncover ways to improve and restore sugar, fat and energy balance in the body. This would lay the groundwork to treat—and potentially prevent—complications associated with diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.