Summary
Precise electrolytic lesions were placed in the dorsomedial (DMNL) and ventromedial (VMNL) hypothalamic nuclei of weanling rats to study the effect on food and water intake, body weight and length and body composition. Lesions in the DMN consistently resulted in hypophagia, hypodipsia and decreased ponderal and linear growth, both when compared with VMNL rats and with sham-operated controls. The DMNL rats contained more carcass water and lean body mass but less fat than the VMNL rats. The lesion effect persisted in the DMNL rats even after placement of minute lesions of 2.5 mC, while such lesions failed to elicit the changes found with larger lesions in the VMNL rats. The data show that the DMN, at least in the weanling rat, appear to be part of the “feeding center” and water intake circuitry. They also show the minuteness of the area involved and its sharp functional and anatomical delineation from the VMN.
Zusammenfassung
Präzise elektrolytische Läsionen wurden in den dorsomedialen (DMNL) und ventromedialen (VMNL) hypothalamischen Kernen von abgesetzten Ratten placiert, um ihren Einfluß auf Futter- und Wasseraufnahme, Körperwachstum und Zusammensetzung zu studieren. Läsionen in den DMN hatten Hypophagie, Hypodipsie und gehemmtes Körperwachstum zur Folge, sowohl im Vergleich zu den Kontrollen als auch den VMNL-Tieren. Die DMNL-Tiere enthielten mehr Körperwasser und fettfreie Körpermasse, aber weniger Fett als die VMNL-Ratten. Der beschriebene Effekt wurde auch in DMNL-Ratten beobachtet, welche Läsionen von nur 2.5 mC erhalten hatten, während die in den VMNL-Tieren beobachteten Veränderungen nach solchen kleinen Läsionen nicht mehr augenscheinlich waren. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß die DM-Kerne, wenigstens in der abgesetzten Ratte, an der Regulation von Futter- und Wasseraufnahme teilnehmen und daß dieses neuronale Gebiet scharf begrenzt ist.
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This investigation was supported by U.S.P.H.S. Grant HD 03331.
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Bernardis, L.L. Participation of the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus in the “feeding center” and water intake circuitry of the weanling rat. J. Neuro-Viscer. Relat 31, 387–398 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02312740
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02312740