Obesity is characterised by severe excess weight in the form of fat and is defined on the basis of a measure referred to as Body Mass Index (BMI). A BMI of more than 30 is referred to as clinical obesity, while a BMI of between 25 and 30 expresses excess weight. Obesity is a serious clinical condition that involves a notably increased risk of elevated blood pressure,
cardiovascular diseases and the development of Type 2 diabetes.According to the World Health Organization, obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, with more than one billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of whom are clinically obese.
Pathological overeating and obesity can be caused by decreased dopamine function in the reward centre of the brain. Following release from the presynaptic neuron into the synaptic cleft, the neurotransmitter dopamine binds to membrane-bound receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. The dopamine is subsequently taken up into the presynaptic neuron via transporter proteins. These transporter proteins are inhibited by tesofensine, so the dopamine re-uptake is blocked, and the receptors are activated for a longer period of time. Consequently, the effect of dopamine is amplified.
