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The metabolic effects of electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus were investigated using indirect calorimetry. Stimulation of either the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) or the lateral hypothalamic area (LH) increased both respiratory quotient (RQ) and energy expenditure (EE) in 23 lightly anesthetized rats. The use of a muscle relaxant to reduce motor activity and a regression analysis on the residual activity showed that the metabolic changes were independent of motor activity following LH stimulation. The increased RQ indicates that stimulation increased the dependence on carbohydrates as an energy substrate. The increased EE indicates that the LH modulates EE by mediating thermogenesis. The interpretation of the metabolic changes in RQ and EE following VMH stimulation is complicated by the fact that there were significant relationships between residual activity and metabolic changes in the sedated rats with VMH electrodes. Together, these data suggest that the hypothalamus regulates body weight by controlling energy expenditure, as well as energy intake. At the same time, hypothalamic activity influences which substrate the rat uses for energy.

The acute effects of ethanol and tertiary-butanol, an alcohol which is not metabolized via the alcohol dehydrogenase pathway, on whole body metabolism were studied using indirect calorimetry. Ethanol, but not t-butanol, increased energy expenditure in food-deprived rats. Both ethanol and t-butanol reduced respiratory quotient (RQ), an index of overall body energy substrate utilization. The lowered RQ indicates an increased dependence upon lipids as an energy source. Taken together, these data suggest that ethanol, probably within a narrow dose range, can enhance energy expenditure in the rat, either via a metabolite (e.g., acetaldehyde) or through a consequence of its oxidation. The increase in lipid mobilization seen after acute treatment with ethanol, on the other hand, appears to be independent of its oxidation.