Genetic mechanisms of drinking and feeding

The literature on the genetics of feeding and drinking, and the genetic methods that will be useful for future research, are described. Four subjects which have been studied most thoroughly by geneticists are discussed: intake of plain water, intake of and preference for flavored water, body weight and food intake regulation when confronted with high-fat diets, and excess body weight. Although a moderate number of strain comparisons and a few genetic analyses have been reported, relatively little is known about the nature of genetic influences. The only major exception is the study of obese mutants where considerable progress has been made in elucidating the physiological mechanisms which produce overeating in such animals. However the study of the behavioral changes in obese mutants is still at an early stage.