Injections of BDNF in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of obese rats fed HFD normalize energy intake, body weight, hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperleptinemia indicating that hypothalamic BDNF improves metabolic syndrome symptoms associated with insulin and leptin resistance (Wang et al., 2010). The gene discussed is INS; the disease is hyperlipidemia.