Neocortex and feeding behavior in the rat.
Consummatory behavior and weight-regulation capacity were measured in 12 normal rats and in 43 rats that survived complete (C), sequential unilateral (U), anterolateral (A), or posterior (P) neocortical ablations. Groups C and A displayed aphagia and adipsia followed by a sequence of recovery stages gualitatively identical to, but shorter than, recovery typically seen following lateral hypothalamic lesions. After recovery, Group C displayed long-term effects of finickiness and pradial drinking. These effects as well as a measure of recovery of body-weight-regulation capacity were significantly intercorrelated with lesion size, and body-weight set point remained significantly lower than normal. Group U was relatively unaffected by the first unilateral ablation and showed, relative the second ablation but displayed the long-term effects. Group P, though significantly affected by the lesion, did not display the pattern or intensity of effects described for the other bilaterally ablated groups.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D002541:Cerebral Decortication; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats