Endocrine Abstracts

The global epidemic of obesity has heightened the need to understand the mechanisms that underpin its pathogenesis. Clinical observations in patients with Cushing's syndrome have highlighted the link between cortisol and central obesity. However, whilst circulating cortisol levels are normal or reduced in obesity, local regeneration of cortisol, from inactive cortisone, by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) has been postulated as a pathogenic mechanism. W...