Abstract
Summary
Hypophysectomy altered but did not abolish the rats' normal diurnal feeding rhythm. The diurnal ingestive rhythm of castrated male rats was comparable to the shams. Adrenalectomy did not attenuate the normal diurnal feeding rhythm but did slightly depress the normal water intake rhythm. Thyroidectomy in a magnitude comparable to hypophysectomy modified the animals' feeding rhythm. While thyroidectomy also altered the diurnal water intake it did so to a lesser degree than hypophysectomy. These data suggest that thyroid secretions may be partially responsible for the maintenance of the diurnal feeding rhythm and to a lesser extent the diurnal water intake rhythm in rats.
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