Food prominence was manipulated in an attempt to test Schachter's notion that VMH obesity is caused by lesion-induced hyperresponsivity to environmental stimuli. The results indicate, contrary to Schachter's proposal, that ad lib. overeating of dynamic phase VMH-lesioned rats is not affected by the amount of food present. The findings are discussed in the context of Schachter's and Thomas and Mayer's explanations for human and VMH obesity.
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