Abstract

It has been proposed that the liver is involved in the control of food intake (FI). Various studies utilizing hepatic vagotomy have cast doubt on the role of hepatic metabolic receptors. Feeding patterns of male adult Lewis rats were continuously recorded in one group of animals after orthotopic liver transplantation (T), without reestablishing arterial flow. Rats of a second group were dearterialized (D) and had their livers freed from the hepatic pedicle, while rats of a third group were laparotomized (L) and served as sham-operated controls. Meal pattern analyses and body weight (BW) changes were followed after surgery. When T rats began to recover BW, a fourth nonoperated control group (C) was added with BW paired to the T group. From days 15 to 25 the T rats gained significantly less BW than C rats and their 24-hour FI was reduced: daytime FI was augmented while nighttime FI was decreased. Meal number was unchanged. Daytime meal size was increased while nighttime meal size was diminished. Between days 50–60, the BW gain of the T group was nearly identical to that of D or L rats from days 15–25. Data from these two periods were compared. The 24-hour FI was identical, nighttime FI remained significantly lower in T rats. Because of variation in BW recovery of the T rats an additional comparison was made between the T rats after they recovered their BW following surgery, and the D and L rats (days 15–25). All feeding pattern parameters were identical in T, D and L rats. Liver transplantation was followed only by small long-lasting changes. Hypotheses about the role of liver innervation in feeding behavior focus on direct signals from metabolic receptors to the brain. Possible disturbances in liver glycogen depletion or repletion mechanisms and inbiliary excretion also have to be taken into account.

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