Plasma glucose, non-esterified fatty acid and insulin concentrations in hypothalamic-hyperphagic rats

Abstract

The induction of lesions of the ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus in rats led to the development of hyperphagia. Treated animals allowed unlimited access to food for 24 hours followed by 24 hours of starvation showed no detectable difference in the concentrations of plasma glucose, non-esterified fatty acid and insulin in comparison with similarly treated sham-operated controls. Hyperphagic rats allowed unlimited access to food for 7 days were compared with untreated animals of the same age and sex and showed in the fed state significant increases of the plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid and insulin; the plasma glucose concentration was lower than that of the controls but this difference was not statistically significant after starvation for 24 hours a significant increase of the plasma insulin concentration with no change in the plasma concentrations of glucose and non-esterified fatty acid. Hyperphagic rats allowed unlimited access to food for 3 months were compared with untreated animals of the same age and sex and showed: in the fed state significantly higher plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid and insulin; after starvations for 24 hours a persistent increase of the plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid and insulin.