Abstract
Summary
1. Hypothalamic obesity (HO) was produced in rats by means of electrolytic lesions. Glucose intestinal absorption determinations yielded the following glucose coefficients of absorption (GCA): Control, 114.0; HO, 107.4; HO thyroxinized. 173.5; thyroxinized, 191.6; thyroidectomized, 75.2. These results indicate that the intestinal absorption of glucose need not differ from control values in order for obesity to occur. 2. Thyroxine elevated the GCA of HO rats as well as that of unlesioned rats. Unlesioned thyroidec-tomized and thyroxinized rats served as method controls. 3. Observations on HO rats which did not exhibit excessive weight gain suggest that hypothalamic lesions may interfere with the secretion of growth hormone by the pituitary.
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