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Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has emerged as the most common form of chronic liver disease. The prevalence of MASLD has risen sharply in tandem with the global increase in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Despite extensive research efforts, current pharmacological treatment options specifically targeting MASLD remain limited. Many drug development programs have been discontinued during preclinical or early clinical trial phases due to various factors. This underscores the urgent need to elucidate the key molecular and cellular mechanisms driving the pathogenesis and progression of MASLD, which is critical for developing effective therapeutic interventions. In recent years, the critical physiological and pathological mechanisms by which the central nervous system regulates liver metabolism have been increasingly elucidated. This advancement offers a novel direction for exploring novel therapeutic targets for MASLD. In this review, we explore the involvement of the hypothalamic nervous system in the pathogenesis of MASLD and discuss recent progress in the discovery of potential anti-MASLD drugs. By integrating these insights, we aim to facilitate the development of clinically effective treatment strategies and mitigate the growing global health burden imposed by MASLD.
Wei et al. (Thu,) studied this question.