Evening star., 1953-09-09
Two Eating Centers'
Discovered in Bruin
One Sturts Food Desire,
Other Acts as Broke
By Thomus R. Henry

the brain.
One provides the nervous impulses
necessary to- start eating. The other
acts as a brake. It kills the appetite
when the eater has had enough.
Both these centers are located in the
hypothalamuS, one Of the brain areas
located below the cerebral cortex. If
both are destroyed an animal cannot
be induced to eat. If the brake is
destroyed or injured, it has been found,
experimental rats will eat three or
four times as much as normal rats.
These brain centers may be closely as
sociated with human obesity.
The start eating" nervous center
apparently receives impulses both from
the empty stomach and from the brain
reception areas of sight. odor, or touch.
These all are Synthesized into an 'eat-
ing impulse" which, once 1t gets under
way, will continue up to physical ca
pacity unless it is stopped.
Stress Significance.
The significance of these recently
discovered brain areas is stressed in a
review of the psychological factors in
production of obesity by scientists of
Vic COuI1udJlUus
"At present." says the review, "the
nature Of the changes which stimulate
or inhibit the hypothalamuS are OBJ
Scure. 1t is apparent that the sensa-
ton from the stomach and duodenum
are important. Intensive stimuli from
the empty CASTRO intestinal tract are
interpreted by the central nervous sys-
tenn as hunger pangs'. However, re-
moval Of the stomach does not abolish
feeding behavior and complete denerva-
ton OF the upper gastro-intestinal
tract does not greatly impair a dogs
ability to regulate food intake.
Normal animals have q remarkable
ability to adjust their food intake to
the composition of the diet. The ca
loric value of the ingeSted food is inn
portant but the mechanism for signal
ing the intake of a certain amount Of
potential energy is unknown"
Polio in the Mind.
Doctors must be on the alert for po-
liophobia.
It mimics the dread epidemic polio
myelitiS, but 1t exists only in the mind
of the victim.
This is the warning Of DR.. Clifford
G. Grulee of Tulane University, made
in the Journal of the American Medical
Association. The condition, he points
out, is especially deceptive since dag
nosis Of polio Is difficult at best.
During epidemics," says Dr. Grulee.
dread OF poliomyelitis is so great that
any type of complaint may be inter-
preted as dangerous evidence of the
disease. Symptomology is involuntarily
initiated. Feelings of suffocation may
suggest respiratory involvement.
Loss Of Voice.
Complete aphona Gloss Of voice. and
sluggish gag reflex may be encoun-
tered. Persons may complain of q lump
in the throat and may fear that bulbar
involvement is developing. (Bulbar
polio, which hits the breathing centers
at the base of the brain, is the most
serious form Of the diSease)
when these persons are examined.
ingenuity may reveal that an appar-
emily paralyZed muscle actually func-
tions in one type of movement although
not in another. Deep tendon refiexes
are normally brisk. Frequently areas Of
hyperaStheSia Intense sensitivity) hav-
ing bizarre distribution are described.
None of these abnormal findings,
however, persist during sleep, tempera-
ture is not sufficiently elevated, bladder
and bowel function are normal, and
paralytic findings often are altered by
suggestion.
IAN understanding attitude and re-
peated physical examination to con-
firm the absence of real disease, to-
gether with prescription Of rest, are
usually adequate to allay anxiety, and
this eradicates signs of illness"