Extra-hypothalamic Lesions Associated with Gold-Thioglucose Induced Obesity.

Abstract

A single parenteral dose of gold-thioglucose was administered to 100 day old inbred C57 Black and CBA mice. The amounts given (1.00 mg and 0.4 mg per gram body weight respectively) resulted in hyperphagia and massive weight gain. Microscopic study of the brain showed not only extensive destruction to the ventromedial nucleus but also damage to the preoptic, septal, hippocampal and dentate gyrus, and solitary nucleus regions as well. All these sites have proximity to areas where the blood-brain barrier is deficient to trypan blue, silver nitrate, and radioactive isotopes. The hypothesis is advanced that the distribution of the observed lesions is related to deficiency of the blood-brain barrier at these sites.