The ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus of sheep (Ovis aries) and the effects on food and water intake following its electrolytic destruction.
A description is presented of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN) of sheep following study of paraffin-embedded material stained with a Nissl and a myelin stain. The VMN is related to most structures in the ventrobasal hypothalamus and is ellipsoidally shaped with its poles tilted both medially and anteriorly. Three kinds of neurons can be distinguished under the high power of the light microscope, and other cellular variants are probably the three basic types seen in different orientations. The commonest neuron had bipolar processes and a basophilic line structure apparently curving over the surface of the nucleus. The food and water intake of four sheep with discrete destruction of the VMN is described and compared with sheep with anterior hypothalamic lesions and controls. Discrete destruction of the VMN was without effect on food and water intake. The conclusion is reached that more lateral and ventrolateral areas of the tuberal hypothalamus might be involved in satiety regulation in the sheep.
D000818:Animals; D004326:Drinking; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D007032:Hypothalamus, Anterior / Q000502:physiology; D007033:Hypothalamus, Middle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance