Leptin, an adipose-derived hormone, has been implicated in several physiological
processes involving the hippocampus. However, the role of leptin in adult hippocampal
neurogenesis remains unknown. Here we show that leptin regulates neurogenesis in the
dentate gyrus of adult mice as well as in cultured adult hippocampal progenitor cells.
Chronic administration of leptin to adult mice increased cell proliferation without significant
effects on the differentiation and the survival of newly proliferated cells in the dentate gyrus …