Biological Effects on Hunger and Satiation
Homeostasis is a system that regulates internal environment and tends to maintain a stable and constant condition, it is normally found within living organisms. It receives and sends information about the body’s condition to the hypothalamus which can then make changes if necessary.
The hypothalamus is a part of a organisms brain that controls its body’s homeostasis system.
There is a theory called duel control theory that assumes that the feeling of hunger and satiation are controlled by two parts of the hypothalamus the lateral hypothalamus and the ventromedic hypothalamus.
It is stated that the ventromedic hypothalamus is triggered by an increase in the glucose levels during eating, it then gives out the feeling of satiation (fullness) causing a person to stop eating.
Whereas the decline in glucose level triggers the lateral hypothalamus which then gives out the feeling of hunger making the individual want to eat.
This theory is backed by a study conducted by Hetherington and ranson (1942) who found that after creating lesions (damage) in a rats VMH they found that the rate become obese and overate, thus showing the rat lost its feeling of satiety and had no holds on how much to eat.
Another study done by Anand and brobek (1951) showed that when the LH in rats was damaged or had a lesion it led to the loss of eating in the rat.
The problem with these studies is that they are conducted on rats which begs the question are whether you can extrapolate the findings and generalise them on humans. Although they are found to have a similar gene structure to humans, we are still two very different species and humans are a far more complex organism, with mood, feelings etc. Also both the studies are very old which questions there reliability, with far less knowledge about the brain in 1950 the study could have been effected by other factors for example causing lesions in the VMH tends to also damage the paraventrical nucleus which is another area of the
The hypothalamus is a part of a organisms brain that controls its body’s homeostasis system.
There is a theory called duel control theory that assumes that the feeling of hunger and satiation are controlled by two parts of the hypothalamus the lateral hypothalamus and the ventromedic hypothalamus.
It is stated that the ventromedic hypothalamus is triggered by an increase in the glucose levels during eating, it then gives out the feeling of satiation (fullness) causing a person to stop eating.
Whereas the decline in glucose level triggers the lateral hypothalamus which then gives out the feeling of hunger making the individual want to eat.
This theory is backed by a study conducted by Hetherington and ranson (1942) who found that after creating lesions (damage) in a rats VMH they found that the rate become obese and overate, thus showing the rat lost its feeling of satiety and had no holds on how much to eat.
Another study done by Anand and brobek (1951) showed that when the LH in rats was damaged or had a lesion it led to the loss of eating in the rat.
The problem with these studies is that they are conducted on rats which begs the question are whether you can extrapolate the findings and generalise them on humans. Although they are found to have a similar gene structure to humans, we are still two very different species and humans are a far more complex organism, with mood, feelings etc. Also both the studies are very old which questions there reliability, with far less knowledge about the brain in 1950 the study could have been effected by other factors for example causing lesions in the VMH tends to also damage the paraventrical nucleus which is another area of the