Hypothalamic IKK/NF-κB activation in response to dietary obesity induces neurodegeneration and inhibits neurogenesis, affecting neuronal phenotypes associated with energy balance, including the anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons (Li et al., 2012; Moraes et al., 2009). The gene discussed is NFKB1; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.