A weakness of the current study is its reliance on an animal model, however the results support the need for further studies to explore the effects of VPAC1R in models of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome by using VPAC1 null genetic models, or VPAC1 agonists and antagonists in WT animals, in order to develop future potential pharmacological protocols. The gene discussed is VIPR1; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.