Effect of high altitude hypoxia on feeding responses and hedonic
matrix in rats.
Singh, Shashi Bala, Alka Sharma, K. N. Sharma, and W. Selvamurthy.
Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences Delhi- 110 054
and University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi-110 094, India
APStracts 2:0460A, 1995.
Albino male rats (n=78) were exposed to a simulated high altitude (HA)
equivalent to 7620 m for six hours daily contiguously for a period of
21 days to study their feeding behaviour and gustatory responses.
Their food, water intake and body weight were recorded daily and
blood sugar and blood insulin were estimated once a week. All the
parameters were recorded for a period of three weeks each before,
during and after exposure to simulated HA. The results show a
decrease in daily food and water intakes and body weight, and mild
hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia during hypoxic exposure. The one
hour single-bottle taste solution test showed a preference for sweet
solutions ( glucose 13%, saccharine 0.2% ) over citric acid (0.16%),
sodium chloride (0.9%) and quinine sulphate (0.001%) during exposure
to simulated HA. The one-hour two-bottle test containing glucose
(calories plus taste ) and saccharine ( taste but no calories)
administration showed a preference for glucose solution over
saccharine solution. The trend of the one-hour intake of all test
solutions also showed a reversal to pre-exposure levels after
termination of HA hypoxia. It would appear that high altitude stress
influences food intake in a manner that sensory cues (eg. preference
for sweet substances ) become more important.
Received 7 July 1994; accepted in final form 5 October 1995.
APS Manuscript Number A676-4.
Article publication pending Journal of Applied Physiology.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 6 November 95