Endocrine: appetite regulation: practice question

A Physiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Physiology · Endocrine: appetite regulation

Sample item

A 3-year-old child has severe obesity with relentless hunger since infancy and an undetectable serum leptin level. Replacement of which hormone is most likely to correct the abnormality?

AInsulinBGhrelinCCholecystokininDLeptin

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Leptin

Leptin, secreted by adipocytes in proportion to fat mass, acts on the arcuate nucleus to inhibit orexigenic neurons and stimulate anorexigenic POMC neurons. Congenital leptin deficiency causes severe early-onset hyperphagic obesity, and recombinant leptin treatment reverses it. Ghrelin from the stomach stimulates hunger.

Option by option

A. Insulin
Insulin therapy would promote weight gain and is not the missing hormone.
B. Ghrelin
Ghrelin increases appetite and would worsen the hunger.
C. Cholecystokinin
CCK gives short-term satiety within meals and does not substitute for leptin.
D. Leptin (correct)
Correct. Leptin replacement restores satiety signalling in leptin deficiency.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Physiology question

What is the answer to this Physiology question?

The best answer is D, Leptin. Leptin, secreted by adipocytes in proportion to fat mass, acts on the arcuate nucleus to inhibit orexigenic neurons and stimulate anorexigenic POMC neurons.

Why is "Insulin" not the answer?

Insulin therapy would promote weight gain and is not the missing hormone.

Why is "Ghrelin" not the answer?

Ghrelin increases appetite and would worsen the hunger.

Why is "Cholecystokinin" not the answer?

CCK gives short-term satiety within meals and does not substitute for leptin.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Endocrine: appetite regulation in Physiology. Congenital leptin deficiency causes severe early-onset hyperphagic obesity, and recombinant leptin treatment reverses it. Ghrelin from the stomach stimulates hunger.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Endocrine: appetite regulation?

For each system, sketch the key graph (pressure–volume loop, oxygen dissociation curve, nephron handling) and explain it aloud. Then use the flashcards and the other Physiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.