Conditioning of Adrenalin Anorexia

Abstract

ACCORDING to the glucostatic theory of control of intake of food^1,2, an increase in uptake of glucose stimulates the glucoreceptors of the medial hypothalamus (‘satiation centre’), the activity of which inhibits the ‘feeding centre’ of the lateral hypothalamus. Other things being equal, an increase in glycæmia should enhance uptake of glucose and produce anorexia, which is actually the effect of glucagon². However, if stimulation of the glucoreceptors is conditioned, anorexia might be provoked by exteroceptive stimuli, without any increase in glycæmia or uptake of glucose.