Disruption of re-intake after partial withdrawal of gastric food contents in rats lesioned in the gelatinous part of the nucleus of the solitary tract

Abstract

Sensory information from the upper gastrointestinal tract is critical in food intake regulation. Signals from different levels of the digestive system are processed to the brain, among other systems, via the vagus nerve, which mainly projects towards the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST). The objective of this study was to analyze the participation of the gelatinous part (SolG) of the NST in short-term food intake. One-third of the stomach food content was withdrawn at 5 min after the end of a meal, and food was then available ad libitum for different time periods. SolG-lesioned and control animals ingested a similar amount of the initial liquid meal, but the former consumed significantly smaller amounts and failed to compensate for the food deficit, whereas the controls re-ingested virtually the same amount as extracted. These data suggest that the SolG, as in the case of related anatomical structures such as the vagus nerve or external lateral parabrachial subnucleus, may be relevant in particular circumstances that require the rapid processing of vagal-related food intake adjustment associated to the upper gastrointestinal tract.