BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN ELECTRICAL CHANGES AFTER VAGAL STIMULATION

In experiments conducted with satiated adult cats, with bipolar electrodes permanently implanted in the nuclei hypothalamicus ventromedialis and lateralis, in the posterior cerebral cortex, and in the cervical portion of the vagus nerve, the brain electrical activity and behavioral correlates of satiety (including sleep) were modified to an alert and hungry state. Resumption of eating followed electrical stimulation of one vagus nerve at a time, or both simultaneously. These results suggest that there exists a peripheral mechanism for food intake regulation in which the vagus nerves play a very important role. © 1969.