Abstract
Rats and rabbits were subjected to bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy or laparotomy (sham vagotomy) and maintained on a diet of solid food. Measurement of stomach size was done following fasting for 0, 4, 8, or 12 h in rats or 0, 12, or 24 h in rabbits. Comparison of data from vagotomized and laparotomized animals that underwent an electrophysiological verification procedure indicated that the stomachs of vagotomized animals declined only slightly in size across the full range of fasting intervals, whereas the stomachs of fasted laparotomized animals decreased to a minimum size within 0–4 h in rats and 12–24 h in rabbits. This effect of vagal destruction on gastric function provides a partial explanation for changes in the feeding pattern observed subsequent to vagotomy. In addition, measurement of stomach size provides a reliable means of verifying the completeness of vagal damage produced by a vagotomy procedure.
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Martin, J. R. Novin, D., & VanderWeele, D. A. Loss of glucagon suppression of feeding following vagotomy in rats. Submitted for publication.
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This research was supported by National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke Grant NS7687 to D. N., by a NIMH postdoctoral fellowship to J. R. M., and by a NIMH predoctoral fellowship to R. C. R. Also, support was obtained from the research development funds of Occidental College to D. A. V. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of D. C. Dearmore in preparing the photograph.
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Martin, J.R., Rogers, R.C., Novin, D. et al. Excessive gastric retention by vagotomized rats and rabbits given a solid diet. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 10, 291–294 (1977). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329339
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329339