title: Abnormal feeding behaviour in spinalised rats is mediated by hypothalamus: Restorative effect of exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic field.
abstract: METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of hypothalamus in abnormal feeding behaviour after spinal cord injury (SCI) and the effect of exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) on it.
  
  
  METHODS
  India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats (n=44) were divided into Sham (laminectomy), SCI (complete transection of T13 spinal cord), SCI+MF (ELF-MF exposure to SCI rats), VMHL (lesion of ventromedial hypothalamus; VMH), SCI+VMHL (VMHL after SCI) and SCI+VMHL+MF (ELF-MF exposure to SCI+VMHL rats) groups. Food intake (FI), water intake (WI), calorie intake (CI), body weight (BWT), taste preference and sucrose-induced biphasic (SIB) response to noxious stimulus were studied pre and post surgery. Neuronal activity at VMH was assessed by c-Fos immunohistochemistry. The extent of neuronal degeneration and regeneration in spinal cord was assessed microscopically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data revealed post-SCI decrease in FI, WI, CI and BWT, preference for sodium chloride and citric acid, prolonged analgesic phase of SIB and increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in VMH of SCI rats vs Sham rats. VMH lesion increased FI, WI, CI, BW, preference for sweet tastants and abolished SIB, whereas in SCI+VMHL rats it abolished the effects of SCI on these parameters indicating probable involvement of VMH in SCI-induced alteration in feeding behaviour. Exposure to MF improved the study parameters in SCI rats and reduced the c-Fos immunoreactivity in VMH besides reduction in lesion volume, greater myelination and neuronal regeneration at SCI site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SCI influences VMH, leading to alteration in feeding behaviour, which is improved by exposure to ELF-MF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambalayam
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mathur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D059226:Nociceptive Pain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D055697:Taste Perception / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos