A STUDY OF THE RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT IN EXPERIMENTAL HYPOTHALAMIC OBESITY

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Abstract
The basal respiratory quotients (R.Q.) of rats which responded to injury to the ventromedian areas of the hypothalamus by becoming obese were not significantly higher than the quotients of normal controls. During the dynamic phase of obesity the ingestion of food or glucose solns. by the obese rats raised the R.Q. above unity. During the static phase the R.Q. responses to food and glucose ingestion were not essentially different from those of normal animals. Nevertheless, during a 2d dynamic phase produced by temporary starvation a typically abnormal rise in R.Q. could again be evoked by giving food. This response, however, was never as great as that obtained during the initial dynamic period; 2-3 days were required for development of the exaggerated R.Q. response. The minimal amt. of food required for its elicitation was 3 gs. of dry Purina dog chow. Larger amts. of food augmented the height of the R.Q. response only slightly but prolonged its duration markedly. Ingestion of saline, olive oil and protein did not raise the R.Q. significantly; the rise appeared most promptly when glucose was injd. intraven., and glucose given by stomach tube required a slightly longer time. Food ingestion gave the most delayed but the longest lasting elevation of the R.Q. Spaced feeding of pair-fed animals with effective hypothalamic lesions did not prevent development of the abnormal rise in R.Q. in response to feeding. In these expts. the phenomenon appeared even though periodic engorgement with food followed by long periods of fasting had never occurred.

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