Control of food intake - A physiologically complex, motivated behavioral system

The control of food intake as a physiologically complex, motivated behavioral system is examined. During the past four decades, considerable progress has been made in understanding signals for hunger, satiation, and satiety. The putative physiologic controls of food intake discussed include positive and negative sensory feedback; gastric and intestinal distension; effects of nutrients, nutrient reserves, and metabolism in producing signals to the liver or brain; and peptides and hormones released in the gastrointestinal tract or the brain.