Jeffrey Zigman, M.D., Ph.D.

The Diana and Richard C. Strauss Professorship in Biomedical Research
Kent and Jodi Foster Distinguished Chair in Endocrinology, in Honor of Daniel Foster, M.D.
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce G. Brookshire Professorship in Medicine

Internal Medicine - Endocrinology
Parathyroid & Thyroid Conditions

Biography

Jeffrey M. Zigman, M.D., Ph.D., is a tenured Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center with a secondary appointment in the Department of Psychiatry.

Dr. Zigman holds both the Diana and Richard C. Strauss Professorship in Biomedical Research and the Mr. and Mrs. Bruce G. Brookshire Professorship in Medicine.

An endocrinologist, Dr. Zigman specializes in treating patients with thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules. He played an active role in establishing UT Southwestern’s thyroid nodule and thyroid cancer clinic.

A Fellow of the Obesity Society, Dr. Zigman is American Board of Internal Medicine-certified in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism.

He also is certified by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists in neck ultrasound, thyroid ultrasound, and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. A recognized expert in performing these procedures, he instructs endocrinology trainees at UT Southwestern and other endocrinologists around the world in how to do them.

Dr. Zigman is affiliated with the Division of Hypothalamic Research and the Division of Endocrinology, as well as with the Integrative Biology Graduate Program and the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

His research is aimed at better understanding the neuro-hormonal framework underlying complex eating behaviors, including those linked to stress, depression and blood glucose control.

The Zigman Lab focuses largely on the hormone ghrelin, including mechanisms controlling ghrelin secretion and mechanisms by which the ghrelin system engages feeding, blood glucose-related processes, as well as antidepressant behaviors. The lab also investigates other hormones released by the stomach.

The lab’s researchers study conditions that include obesity, depression, psychosocial stress, diabetes, cachexia, and Prader-Willi syndrome.

Dr. Zigman has published more than 60 scholarly articles and delivered scores of invited lectures nationally and internationally.

He serves as a consulting editor for Molecular Metabolism and as an ad hocreviewer for a number of respected academic journals.

He joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2006.

Dr. Zigman earned his medical degree at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at University of Chicago Hospitals and a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

He also holds a doctoral degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Chicago – earned through the university’s M.D.-Ph.D. Program – and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Cornell University.

Meet Dr. Zigman

Thyroid Cancer Specialist in Dallas

Endocrinologist Jeffrey Zigman, M.D., specializes in treating thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, and related thyroid disorders.

Offering diagnostic lab work, advanced imaging studies, and the latest evidence-based treatments, Dr. Zigman and the thyroid team at UT Southwestern Medical Center are experts at providing the comprehensive care needed by patients with nodular thyroid disease and thyroid cancer – often in one visit.

Only a small percentage of thyroid nodules are related to thyroid cancer, Dr. Zigman notes, and with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, most types of thyroid cancer do not negatively impact a person’s lifespan – nor do they require chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Board certified and fellowship trained, Dr. Zigman also is specially certified to perform ultrasound studies of the neck and thyroid gland, as well as ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy – diagnostic procedures he is able to perform in the clinic.

He has been named a Top Doctor by both U.S. News & World Report and Castle Connolly.

“From initial evaluation to long-term management, UT Southwestern offers patients with nodular thyroid disease and thyroid cancer everything they need – usually in the same visit – from diagnostic lab and ultrasound studies to the most advanced therapies,” Dr. Zigman says.

“We strive to do everything very efficiently so we disrupt patients’ lives as little as possible.”

Dr. Zigman finds great satisfaction in caring for his patients.

“Endocrinology allows me to use the most up-to-date procedures and technologies to treat my patients,” he says. “And I really enjoy talking with patients – explaining their medical problems and discussing their concerns so they feel at ease with their condition and the diagnostic procedures and treatments it may require.”

Education & Training

Fellowship - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (2000-2003), Endocrinology & Metabolism
Medical School - University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (1993-1997)
Residency - University of Chicago Hospitals (1997-2000), Internal Medicine

Professional Associations & Affiliations

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (2000)
American Diabetes Association (2004)
The Obesity Society (2008)
The Endocrine Society (2009)
American Thyroid Association (2009)
American Society for Clinical Investigation (2012)

Honors & Awards

Top Doctor 2011, U.S. News & World Report
Patricia Usher Memorial Lecture speaker 2014, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston
Class of 2014 (MS2) Outstanding Teaching Award 2011-2012 2012, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Election as a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation 2012, American Society for Clinical Investigation
National Institutes of Health Medical Scientist Training Program 1989, The University of Chicago
Graduation Cum Laude and with distinction in all subjects; Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society from Cornell University 1989, Cornell University
UTSW Medical Center Disease Oriented Clinical Scholar 2006, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Class of 2013 (MS1) Outstanding Teaching Award in Physiology 2009-2010 2010, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Class of 2013 (MS2) Outstanding Teaching Award 2010-2011 2011, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce G. Brookshire Professorship in Medicine 2012
Diana and Richard C. Strauss Professorship in Biomedical Research 2012

Books & Publications

Books
- Obesity in Pocket Primary Care
  Zigman J (2001), Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins
- Mechanisms of homeostatically regulated behaviors in Neuroscience in the 21st Century
  Elmquist J, Zigman J, Saper C. (2011), Berlin, Springer-Verlag GmbH
- Muscle cramps in Pocket Primary Care
  Zigman, J. (2001), Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins
Publications
- Growth hormone secretagogue receptor signaling in the supramammillary nucleus targets nitric oxide-producing neurons and controls recognition memory in mice.
  Aguggia JP, Cornejo MP, Fernandez G, De Francesco PN, Mani BK, Cassano D, Cabral A, Valdivia S, García Romero G, Reynaldo M, Fehrentz JA, Zigman JM, Perello M, Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022 Mar 139 105716
- Ghrelin cell-expressed insulin receptors mediate meal- and obesity-induced declines in plasma ghrelin.
  Shankar K, Takemi S, Gupta D, Varshney S, Mani BK, Osborne-Lawrence S, Metzger NP, Richard CP, Berglund ED, Zigman JM, JCI insight 2021 Sep 6 18
- LEAP2 deletion in mice enhances ghrelin's actions as an orexigen and growth hormone secretagogue.
  Shankar K, Metzger NP, Singh O, Mani BK, Osborne-Lawrence S, Varshney S, Gupta D, Ogden SB, Takemi S, Richard CP, Nandy K, Liu C, Zigman JM, Molecular metabolism 2021 Aug 101327
- High co-expression of the ghrelin and LEAP2 receptor GHSR with pancreatic polypeptide in mouse and human islets.
  Gupta D, Dowsett GKC, Mani BK, Shankar K, Osborne-Lawrence S, Metzger NP, Lam BYH, Yeo GSH, Zigman JM, Endocrinology 2021 Jul
- Disrupting the ghrelin-growth hormone axis limits ghrelin's orexigenic but not glucoregulatory actions.
  Gupta D, Patterson AM, Osborne-Lawrence S, Bookout AL, Varshney S, Shankar K, Singh O, Metzger NP, Richard CP, Wyler SC, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM, Molecular metabolism 2021 May 53 101258
- A closer look at alcohol-induced changes in the ghrelin system: novel insights from preclinical and clinical data.
  Deschaine SL, Farokhnia M, Gregory-Flores A, Zallar LJ, You ZB, Sun H, Harvey DM, Marchette RCN, Tunstall BJ, Mani BK, Moose JE, Lee MR, Gardner E, Akhlaghi F, Roberto M, Hougland JL, Zigman JM, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF, Leggio L, Addiction biology 2021 Apr e13033
- Genetic deletion of the ghrelin receptor (GHSR) impairs growth and blunts endocrine response to fasting in Ghsr-IRES-Cre mice.
  Peris-Sampedro F, Stoltenborg I, Le May MV, Zigman JM, Adan RAH, Dickson SL, Molecular metabolism 2021 Mar 51 101223
- "A LEAP 2 conclusions? Targeting the ghrelin system to treat obesity and diabetes".
  Gupta D, Ogden SB, Shankar K, Varshney S, Zigman JM, Molecular metabolism 2020 Nov 101128
- Metabolic insights from a GHSR-A203E mutant mouse model.
  Torz LJ, Osborne-Lawrence S, Rodriguez J, He Z, Cornejo MP, Mustafá ER, Jin C, Petersen N, Hedegaard MA, Nybo M, Damonte VM, Metzger NP, Mani BK, Williams KW, Raingo J, Perello M, Holst B, Zigman JM, Molecular metabolism 2020 09 39 101004
- Electrophysiological Properties of Genetically Identified Histaminergic Neurons.
  Michael NJ, Zigman JM, Williams KW, Elmquist JK, Neuroscience 2020 09 444 183-195
- Lowering oxidative stress in ghrelin cells stimulates ghrelin secretion.
  Mani BK, Osborne-Lawrence S, Metzger N, Zigman JM, American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism 2020 08 319 2 E330-E337
- Melanocortin regulation of histaminergic neurons via perifornical lateral hypothalamic melanocortin 4 receptors.
  Michael NJ, Caron A, Lee CE, Castorena CM, Lee S, Zigman JM, Williams KW, Elmquist JK, Molecular metabolism 2020 05 35 100956
- Ghrelin Protects Against Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia in a Mouse Model of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.
  Shankar K, Gupta D, Mani BK, Findley BG, Osborne-Lawrence S, Metzger NP, Liu C, Berglund ED, Zigman JM, Frontiers in endocrinology 2020 11 606
- Acyl-ghrelin is Permissive for the Normal Counterregulatory Response to Insulin-induced Hypoglycemia.
  Shankar K, Gupta D, Mani BK, Findley BG, Lord CC, Osborne-Lawrence S, Metzger NP, Pietra C, Liu C, Berglund ED, Zigman JM, Diabetes 2019 Nov
- Combined Loss of Ghrelin Receptor and Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor in Mice Decreases Survival but Does Not Additively Reduce Body Weight or Eating.
  Mani BK, Castorena CM, Vianna CR, Lee CE, Metzger NP, Vijayaraghavan P, Osborne-Lawrence S, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM, Neuroscience 2019 Sep
- Disrupted hippocampal growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a interaction with dopamine receptor D1 plays a role in Alzheimer's disease.
  Tian J, Guo L, Sui S, Driskill C, Phensy A, Wang Q, Gauba E, Zigman JM, Swerdlow RH, Kroener S, Du H, Science translational medicine 2019 Aug 11 505
- LEAP2 changes with body mass and food intake in humans and mice.
  Mani BK, Puzziferri N, He Z, Rodriguez JA, Osborne-Lawrence S, Metzger NP, Chhina N, Gaylinn B, Thorner MO, Thomas EL, Bell JD, Williams KW, Goldstone AP, Zigman JM, The Journal of clinical investigation 2019 Aug
- Ghrelin's relationship to blood glucose.
  Mani BK, Shankar K, Zigman JM, Endocrinology 2019 Mar
- ß1-adrenergic receptors mediate plasma acyl-ghrelin elevation and depressive-like behavior induced by chronic psychosocial stress
  Gupta D, Chuang JC, Mani BK, Shankar K, Rodriguez JA, Osborne-Lawrence S, Metzger NP, Zigman JM Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2019 Feb
- Ghrelin Receptor Agonist Rescues Excess Neonatal Mortality in a Prader-Willi Syndrome Mouse Model.
  Rodriguez JA, Bruggeman EC, Mani BK, Osborne-Lawrence S, Lord CC, Roseman H, Viroslav HL, Vijayaraghavan P, Metzger NP, Gupta D, Shankar K, Pietra C, Liu C, Zigman JM Endocrinology 2018 Oct
- Ghrelin receptor signaling targets segregated clusters of neurons within the nucleus of the solitary tract.
  Cornejo MP, De Francesco PN, García Romero G, Portiansky EL, Zigman JM, Reynaldo M, Perello M Brain structure & function 2018 May
- Hypothalamic loss of Snord116 and Prader-Willi syndrome hyperphagia: the buck stops here?
  Rodriguez JA, Zigman JM The Journal of clinical investigation 2018 Jan
- Ghrelin mediates exercise endurance and the feeding response post-exercise.
  Mani BK, Castorena CM, Osborne-Lawrence S, Vijayaraghavan P, Metzger NP, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM Molecular metabolism 2018 Jan
- Ghrelin as a Survival Hormone.
  Mani BK, Zigman JM Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM 2017 Dec 28 12 843-854
- The role of ghrelin-responsive mediobasal hypothalamic neurons in mediating feeding responses to fasting.
  Mani BK, Osborne-Lawrence S, Mequinion M, Lawrence S, Gautron L, Andrews ZB, Zigman JM Molecular metabolism 2017 Aug 6 8 882-896
- Hypoglycemic Effect of Combined Ghrelin and Glucagon Receptor Blockade.
  Mani BK, Uchida A, Lee Y, Osborne-Lawrence S, Charron MJ, Unger RH, Berglund ED, Zigman JM Diabetes 2017 May
- Circulating Ghrelin acts on GABA neurons of the area postrema and mediates gastric emptying in male mice.
  Cabral A, Cornejo MP, Fernandez G, De Francesco PN, Garcia-Romero G, Uriarte M, Zigman JM, Portiansky E, Reynaldo M, Perello M Endocrinology 2017 Feb
- The effect of glutamate on ghrelin release in mice.
  Chacrabati R, Gong Z, Ikenoya C, Kondo D, Zigman JM, Sakai T, Sakata I Cell biology international 2017 Jan
- ß1-Adrenergic receptor deficiency in ghrelin-expressing cells causes hypoglycemia in susceptible individuals
  Mani BK, Osborne-Lawrence S, Vijayaraghavan P, Hepler C, Zigman JM The Journal of clinical investigation 2016 Sep 126 9 3467-3478
- Brain imaging demonstrates a reduced neural impact of eating in obesity.
  Puzziferri N, Zigman JM, Thomas BP, Mihalakos P, Gallagher R, Lutter M, Carmody T, Lu H, Tamminga CA Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) 2016 Feb
- Ghrelin activates hypophysiotropic corticotropin-releasing factor neurons independently of the arcuate nucleus.
  Cabral A, Portiansky E, Sánchez-Jaramillo E, Zigman JM, Perello M Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016 Feb 67 27-39
- A Strong Stomach for Somatostatin.
  Mani BK, Zigman JM Endocrinology 2015 Nov 156 11 3876-9
- Obesity Impairs the Action of the Neuroendocrine Ghrelin System.
  Zigman JM, Bouret SG, Andrews ZB Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM 2015 Nov
- Research Resource: A Chromogranin A Reporter for Serotonin and Histamine Secreting Enteroendocrine Cells.
  Engelstoft MS, Lund ML, Grunddal KV, Egerod KL, Osborne-Lawrence S, Seier Poulsen S, Zigman JM, Schwartz TW Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.) 2015 Sep me20151106
- Ghrelin.
  Müller TD, Nogueiras R, Andermann ML, Andrews ZB, Anker SD, Argente J, Batterham RL, Benoit SC, Bowers CY, Broglio F, Casanueva FF, D'Alessio D, Depoortere I, Geliebter A, Ghigo E, Cole PA, Cowley M, Cummings DE, Dagher A, Diano S, Dickson SL, Diéguez C, Granata R, Grill HJ, Grove K, Habegger KM, Heppner K, Heiman ML, Holsen L, Holst B, Inui A, Jansson JO, Kirchner H, Korbonits M, Laferrère B, LeRoux CW, Lopez M, Morin S, Nakazato M, Nass R, Perez-Tilve D, Pfluger PT, Schwartz TW, Seeley RJ, Sleeman M, Sun Y, Sussel L, Tong J, Thorner MO, van der Lely AJ, van der Ploeg LH, Zigman JM, Kojima M, Kangawa K, Smith RG, Horvath T, Tschöp MH Molecular metabolism 2015 Jun 4 6 437-60
- Neuroanatomical and functional characterization of CRF neurons of the amygdala using a novel transgenic mouse model.
  De Francesco PN, Valdivia S, Cabral A, Reynaldo M, Raingo J, Sakata I, Osborne-Lawrence S, Zigman JM, Perelló M Neuroscience 2015 Jan 289C 153-165
- Novel Regulator of Acylated Ghrelin, CF801, Reduces Weight Gain, Rebound Feeding after a Fast, and Adiposity in Mice.
  Wellman MK, Patterson ZR, MacKay H, Darling JE, Mani BK, Zigman JM, Hougland JL, Abizaid A Frontiers in endocrinology 2015 6 144
- Altered ghrelin secretion in mice in response to diet-induced obesity and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
  Uchida A, Zechner JF, Mani BK, Park WM, Aguirre V, Zigman JM Molecular metabolism 2014 Oct 3 7 717-30
- Divergent neuronal circuitries underlying acute orexigenic effects of peripheral or central ghrelin: critical role of brain accessibility.
  Cabral A, Valdivia S, Fernandez G, Reynaldo M, Perello M Journal of neuroendocrinology 2014 Aug 26 8 542-54
- Neuroanatomical characterization of a growth hormone secretagogue receptor-green fluorescent protein reporter mouse.
  Mani BK, Walker AK, LopezSoto EJ, Raingo J, Lee CE, Perelló M, Andrews ZB, Zigman JM The Journal of comparative neurology 2014 May
- The P7C3 class of neuroprotective compounds exerts antidepressant efficacy in mice by increasing hippocampal neurogenesis.
  Walker AK, Rivera PD, Wang Q, Chuang JC, Tran S, Osborne-Lawrence S, Estill SJ, Starwalt R, Huntington P, Morlock L, Naidoo J, Williams NS, Ready JM, Eisch AJ, Pieper AA, Zigman JM Molecular psychiatry 2014 Apr
- The central nervous system sites mediating the orexigenic actions of ghrelin.
  Mason BL, Wang Q, Zigman JM Annual review of physiology 2014 Feb 76 519-33
- Arcuate AgRP neurons mediate orexigenic and glucoregulatory actions of ghrelin.
  Wang Q, Liu C, Uchida A, Chuang JC, Walker A, Liu T, Osborne-Lawrence S, Mason BL, Mosher C, Berglund ED, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM Molecular metabolism 2014 Feb 3 1 64-72
- Estradiol modulates Kiss1 Neuronal Response to Ghrelin.
  Frazao R, Dungan-Lemko H, Silva RP, Ratra DV, Lee CE, Williams KW, Zigman JM, Elias CF American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism 2014 Jan
- G protein-coupled receptor 120 signaling regulates ghrelin secretion in vivo and in vitro.
  Gong Z, Yoshimura M, Aizawa S, Kurotani R, Zigman JM, Sakai T, Sakata I American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism 2014 Jan 306 1 E28-35
- Role of calcium and EPAC in norepinephrine-induced ghrelin secretion.
  Mani BK, Chuang JC, Kjalarsdottir L, Sakata I, Walker AK, Kuperman A, Osborne-Lawrence S, Repa JJ, Zigman JM Endocrinology 2014 Jan 155 1 98-107
- Analysis of brain nuclei accessible to ghrelin present in the cerebrospinal fluid.
  Cabral A, Fernandez G, Perello M Neuroscience 2013 Dec 253 406-15
- An eGFP-expressing subpopulation of growth hormone secretagogue receptor cells are distinct from kisspeptin, tyrosine hydroxylase, and RFamide-related peptide neurons in mice.
  Smith JT, Reichenbach A, Lemus M, Mani BK, Zigman JM, Andrews ZB Peptides 2013 Jul 47C 45-53
- Shift in Kiss1 Cell Activity Requires Estrogen Receptor a.
  Frazão R, Cravo RM, Donato J, Ratra DV, Clegg DJ, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM, Williams KW, Elias CF The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2013 Feb 33 7 2807-20
- Differential effects of chronic social stress and fluoxetine on meal patterns in mice.
  Kumar J, Chuang JC, Na ES, Kuperman A, Gillman AG, Mukherjee S, Zigman JM, McClung CA, Lutter M Appetite 2013 Jan 64C 81-88
- Expression of Serum Retinol Binding Protein and Transthyretin within Mouse Gastric Ghrelin Cells.
  Walker AK, Gong Z, Park WM, Zigman JM, Sakata I PloS one 2013 8 6 e64882
- Leptin signaling in kiss1 neurons arises after pubertal development.
  Cravo RM, Frazao R, Perello M, Osborne-Lawrence S, Williams KW, Zigman JM, Vianna C, Elias CF PloS one 2013 8 3 e58698
- Seven transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor repertoire of gastric ghrelin cells.
  Engelstoft MS, Park WM, Sakata I, Kristensen LV, Husted AS, Osborne-Lawrence S, Piper PK, Walker AK, Pedersen MH, Nøhr MK, Pan J, Sinz CJ, Carrington PE, Akiyama TE, Jones RM, Tang C, Ahmed K, Offermanns S, Egerod KL, Zigman JM, Schwartz TW Molecular metabolism 2013 2 4 376-92
- Ghrelin and eating behavior: evidence and insights from genetically-modified mouse models.
  Uchida A, Zigman JM, Perelló M Frontiers in neuroscience 2013 7 121
- A solitary hyperfunctioning thyroid nodule harboring thyroid carcinoma: review of the literature.
  Mirfakhraee S, Mathews D, Peng L, Woodruff S, Zigman JM Thyroid research 2013 6 1 7
- Characterization of gastric and neuronal histaminergic populations using a transgenic mouse model.
  Walker AK, Park WM, Chuang JC, Perello M, Sakata I, Osborne-Lawrence S, Zigman JM PloS one 2013 8 3 e60276
- A major lineage of enteroendocrine cells coexpress CCK, secretin, GIP, GLP-1, PYY, and neurotensin but not somatostatin.
  Egerod KL, Engelstoft MS, Grunddal KV, Nøhr MK, Secher A, Sakata I, Pedersen J, Windeløv JA, Füchtbauer EM, Olsen J, Sundler F, Christensen JP, Wierup N, Olsen JV, Holst JJ, Zigman JM, Poulsen SS, Schwartz TW Endocrinology 2012 Dec 153 12 5782-95
- Disruption of cue-potentiated feeding in mice with blocked ghrelin signaling.
  Walker AK, Ibia IE, Zigman JM Physiology & behavior 2012 Dec 108 34-43
- GOAT induced ghrelin acylation regulates hedonic feeding.
  Davis JF, Perello M, Choi DL, Magrisso IJ, Kirchner H, Pfluger PT, Tschoep M, Zigman JM, Benoit SC Hormones and behavior 2012 Nov 62 5 598-604
- The role of ghrelin in reward-based eating.
  Perelló M, Zigman JM Biological psychiatry 2012 Sep 72 5 347-53
- Glucose-mediated control of ghrelin release from primary cultures of gastric mucosal cells.
  Sakata I, Park WM, Walker AK, Piper PK, Chuang JC, Osborne-Lawrence S, Zigman JM American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism 2012 May 302 10 E1300-10
- Hindbrain ghrelin receptor signaling is sufficient to maintain fasting glucose.
  Scott MM, Perello M, Chuang JC, Sakata I, Gautron L, Lee CE, Lauzon D, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM PloS one 2012 7 8 e44089
- Ghrelin indirectly activates hypophysiotropic CRF neurons in rodents.
  Cabral A, Suescun O, Zigman JM, Perello M PloS one 2012 7 2 e31462
- Proton- and ammonium-sensing by histaminergic neurons controlling wakefulness.
  Yanovsky Y, Zigman JM, Kernder A, Bein A, Sakata I, Osborne-Lawrence S, Haas HL, Sergeeva OA Frontiers in systems neuroscience 2012 6 23
- Genetic tracing of Nav1.8-expressing vagal afferents in the mouse.
  Gautron L, Sakata I, Udit S, Zigman JM, Wood JN, Elmquist JK The Journal of comparative neurology 2011 Oct 519 15 3085-101
- Ghrelin directly stimulates glucagon secretion from pancreatic alpha-cells.
  Chuang JC, Sakata I, Kohno D, Perello M, Osborne-Lawrence S, Repa JJ, Zigman JM Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.) 2011 Sep 25 9 1600-11
- Ghrelin mediates stress-induced food-reward behavior in mice.
  Chuang JC, Perello M, Sakata I, Osborne-Lawrence S, Savitt JM, Lutter M, Zigman JM The Journal of clinical investigation 2011 Jul 121 7 2684-92
- A Role for ?FosB in Calorie Restriction-Induced Metabolic Changes.
  Vialou V, Cui H, Perello M, Mahgoub M, Yu HG, Rush AJ, Pranav H, Jung S, Yangisawa M, Zigman JM, Elmquist JK, Nestler EJ, Lutter M Biological psychiatry 2011 Jul 70 2 204-7
- Functional implications of limited leptin receptor and ghrelin receptor co-expression in the brain.
  Perello M, Scott MM, Sakata I, Lee CE, Chuang JC, Osborne-Lawrence S, Rovinsky SA, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM The Journal of comparative neurology 2011 Jun
- Characterization of Kiss1 neurons using transgenic mouse models.
  Cravo RM, Margatho LO, Osborne-Lawrence S, Donato J, Atkin S, Bookout AL, Rovinsky S, Frazão R, Lee CE, Gautron L, Zigman JM, Elias CF Neuroscience 2011 Jan 173 37-56
- High-fat feeding promotes obesity via insulin receptor/PI3K-dependent inhibition of SF-1 VMH neurons.
  Klöckener T, Hess S, Belgardt BF, Paeger L, Verhagen LA, Husch A, Sohn JW, Hampel B, Dhillon H, Zigman JM, Lowell BB, Williams KW, Elmquist JK, Horvath TL, Kloppenburg P, Brüning JC Nature neuroscience 2011 14 7 911-8
- Leptin's effect on puberty in mice is relayed by the ventral premammillary nucleus and does not require signaling in Kiss1 neurons.
  Donato J, Cravo RM, Frazão R, Gautron L, Scott MM, Lachey J, Castro IA, Margatho LO, Lee S, Lee C, Richardson JA, Friedman J, Chua S, Coppari R, Zigman JM, Elmquist JK, Elias CF The Journal of clinical investigation 2011 Jan 121 1 355-68
- 5-HT2CRs expressed by pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate insulin sensitivity in liver.
  Xu Y, Berglund ED, Sohn JW, Holland WL, Chuang JC, Fukuda M, Rossi J, Williams KW, Jones JE, Zigman JM, Lowell BB, Scherer PE, Elmquist JK Nature neuroscience 2010 Dec 13 12 1457-9
- Distribution and neurochemical characterization of protein kinase C-theta and -delta in the rodent hypothalamus.
  Irani BG, Donato J, Olson DP, Lowell BB, Sacktor TC, Reyland ME, Tolson KP, Zinn AR, Ueta Y, Sakata I, Zigman JM, Elias CF, Clegg DJ Neuroscience 2010 Nov 170 4 1065-79
- Ghrelin secretion stimulated by {beta}1-adrenergic receptors in cultured ghrelinoma cells and in fasted mice.
  Zhao TJ, Sakata I, Li RL, Liang G, Richardson JA, Brown MS, Goldstein JL, Zigman JM Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2010 Sep 107 36 15868-73
- Translational neuroscience approaches to hyperphagia.
  Perello M, Chuang JC, Scott MM, Lutter M The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2010 Sep 30 35 11549-54
- PI3K signaling in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus is required for normal energy homeostasis.
  Xu Y, Hill JW, Fukuda M, Gautron L, Sohn JW, Kim KW, Lee CE, Choi MJ, Lauzon DA, Dhillon H, Lowell BB, Zigman JM, Zhao JJ, Elmquist JK Cell metabolism 2010 Jul 12 1 88-95
- A beta3-adrenergic-leptin-melanocortin circuit regulates behavioral and metabolic changes induced by chronic stress.
  Chuang JC, Krishnan V, Yu HG, Mason B, Cui H, Cui H, Wilkinson MB, Zigman JM, Elmquist JK, Nestler EJ, Lutter M Biological psychiatry 2010 Jun 67 11 1075-82
- Chronic social defeat stress disrupts regulation of lipid synthesis.
  Chuang JC, Cui H, Mason BL, Mahgoub M, Bookout AL, Yu HG, Perello M, Elmquist JK, Repa JJ, Zigman JM, Lutter M Journal of lipid research 2010 Jun 51 6 1344-53
- Ghrelin increases the rewarding value of high-fat diet in an orexin-dependent manner.
  Perello M, Sakata I, Birnbaum S, Chuang JC, Osborne-Lawrence S, Rovinsky SA, Woloszyn J, Yanagisawa M, Lutter M, Zigman JM Biological psychiatry 2010 May 67 9 880-6
- Direct insulin and leptin action on pro-opiomelanocortin neurons is required for normal glucose homeostasis and fertility.
  Hill JW, Elias CF, Fukuda M, Williams KW, Berglund ED, Holland WL, Cho YR, Chuang JC, Xu Y, Choi M, Lauzon D, Lee CE, Coppari R, Richardson JA, Zigman JM, Chua S, Scherer PE, Lowell BB, Brüning JC, Elmquist JK Cell metabolism 2010 Apr 11 4 286-97
- Ghrelin's Roles in Stress, Mood, and Anxiety Regulation.
  Chuang JC, Zigman JM International journal of peptides 2010 2010
- Ghrelin promotes and protects nigrostriatal dopamine function via a UCP2-dependent mitochondrial mechanism.
  Andrews ZB, Erion D, Beiler R, Liu ZW, Abizaid A, Zigman J, Elsworth JD, Savitt JM, DiMarchi R, Tschoep M, Roth RH, Gao XB, Horvath TL The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2009 Nov 29 45 14057-65
- Colocalization of ghrelin O-acyltransferase and ghrelin in gastric mucosal cells.
  Sakata I, Yang J, Lee CE, Osborne-Lawrence S, Rovinsky SA, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism 2009 Jul 297 1 E134-41
- Ghrelin induces abdominal obesity via GHS-R-dependent lipid retention.
  Davies JS, Kotokorpi P, Eccles SR, Barnes SK, Tokarczuk PF, Allen SK, Whitworth HS, Guschina IA, Evans BA, Mode A, Zigman JM, Wells T Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.) 2009 Jun 23 6 914-24
- Characterization of a novel ghrelin cell reporter mouse.
  Sakata I, Nakano Y, Osborne-Lawrence S, Rovinsky SA, Lee CE, Perello M, Anderson JG, Coppari R, Xiao G, Lowell BB, Elmquist JK, Zigman JM Regulatory peptides 2009 Jun 155 1-3 91-8
- Monitoring FoxO1 localization in chemically identified neurons.
  Fukuda M, Jones JE, Olson D, Hill J, Lee CE, Gautron L, Choi M, Zigman JM, Lowell BB, Elmquist JK The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2008 Dec 28 50 13640-8
- 5-HT2CRs expressed by pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate energy homeostasis.
  Xu Y, Jones JE, Kohno D, Williams KW, Lee CE, Choi MJ, Anderson JG, Heisler LK, Zigman JM, Lowell BB, Elmquist JK Neuron 2008 Nov 60 4 582-9
- The orexigenic hormone ghrelin defends against depressive symptoms of chronic stress.
  Lutter M, Sakata I, Osborne-Lawrence S, Rovinsky SA, Anderson JG, Jung S, Birnbaum S, Yanagisawa M, Elmquist JK, Nestler EJ, Zigman JM Nature neuroscience 2008 Jul 11 7 752-3
- Central nervous system regulation of energy metabolism: ghrelin versus leptin.
  Nogueiras R, Tschöp MH, Zigman JM Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2008 Apr 1126 14-9
- Synaptic glutamate release by ventromedial hypothalamic neurons is part of the neurocircuitry that prevents hypoglycemia.
  Tong Q, Ye C, McCrimmon RJ, Dhillon H, Choi B, Kramer MD, Yu J, Yang Z, Christiansen LM, Lee CE, Choi CS, Zigman JM, Shulman GI, Sherwin RS, Elmquist JK, Lowell BB Cell metabolism 2007 May 5 5 383-93
- Estradiol-dependent decrease in the orexigenic potency of ghrelin in female rats.
  Clegg DJ, Brown LM, Zigman JM, Kemp CJ, Strader AD, Benoit SC, Woods SC, Mangiaracina M, Geary N Diabetes 2007 Apr 56 4 1051-8
- In search of an effective obesity treatment: a shot in the dark or a shot in the arm?
  Zigman JM, Elmquist JK Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2006 Aug 103 35 12961-2
- Molecular determinants of energy homeostasis.
  Elmquist J, Zigman J, Lutter M The American journal of psychiatry 2006 Jul 163 7 1137
- Serotonin reciprocally regulates melanocortin neurons to modulate food intake.
  Heisler LK, Jobst EE, Sutton GM, Zhou L, Borok E, Thornton-Jones Z, Liu HY, Zigman JM, Balthasar N, Kishi T, Lee CE, Aschkenasi CJ, Zhang CY, Yu J, Boss O, Mountjoy KG, Clifton PG, Lowell BB, Friedman JM, Horvath T, Butler AA, Elmquist JK, Cowley MA Neuron 2006 Jul 51 2 239-49
- Expression of ghrelin receptor mRNA in the rat and the mouse brain.
  Zigman JM, Jones JE, Lee CE, Saper CB, Elmquist JK The Journal of comparative neurology 2006 Jan 494 3 528-48
- Leptin directly activates SF1 neurons in the VMH, and this action by leptin is required for normal body-weight homeostasis.
  Dhillon H, Zigman JM, Ye C, Lee CE, McGovern RA, Tang V, Kenny CD, Christiansen LM, White RD, Edelstein EA, Coppari R, Balthasar N, Cowley MA, Chua S, Elmquist JK, Lowell BB Neuron 2006 Jan 49 2 191-203
- Mice lacking ghrelin receptors resist the development of diet-induced obesity.
  Zigman JM, Nakano Y, Coppari R, Balthasar N, Marcus JN, Lee CE, Jones JE, Deysher AE, Waxman AR, White RD, Williams TD, Lachey JL, Seeley RJ, Lowell BB, Elmquist JK The Journal of clinical investigation 2005 Dec 115 12 3564-72
- Impact of thyroxine-binding globulin on thyroid hormone economy during pregnancy.
  Zigman JM, Cohen SE, Garber JR Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association 2003 Dec 13 12 1169-75
- Minireview: From anorexia to obesity--the yin and yang of body weight control.
  Zigman JM, Elmquist JK Endocrinology 2003 Sep 144 9 3749-56
- Central serotonin and melanocortin pathways regulating energy homeostasis.
  Heisler LK, Cowley MA, Kishi T, Tecott LH, Fan W, Low MJ, Smart JL, Rubinstein M, Tatro JB, Zigman JM, Cone RD, Elmquist JK Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2003 Jun 994 169-74
- Expression of cone transducin, Gz alpha, and other G-protein alpha-subunit messenger ribonucleic acids in pancreatic islets.
  Zigman JM, Westermark GT, LaMendola J, Steiner DF Endocrinology 1994 Jul 135 1 31-7
- Human G(olf) alpha: complementary deoxyribonucleic acid structure and expression in pancreatic islets and other tissues outside the olfactory neuroepithelium and central nervous system.
  Zigman JM, Westermark GT, LaMendola J, Boel E, Steiner DF Endocrinology 1993 Dec 133 6 2508-14

Research

The role of ghrelin in eating behaviors of various types: food intake to survive, eating for pleasure (reward-based eating), eating upon stress
Stomach and intestine endocrine (enteroendocrine) cell function
Prader-Willi Syndrome
Obesity
Neuro-hormonal framework linking complex eating behaviors to mood
Ghrelin's role in mood (depression) and stress
Ghrelin biosynthesis, ghrelin secretion and ghrelin cell physiology
Diabetes and hypoglycemia

Clinical Focus

Parathyroid & Thyroid Conditions