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The vagal nerves—Important connectors of the gut and brain for energy balance
- Source :
- Acta Physiologica (Oxford, England)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Aim The tools that have been used to assess the function of the vagus nerve lack specificity. This could explain discrepancies about the role of vagal gut‐brain signalling in long‐term control of energy balance. Here we use a validated approach to selectively ablate sensory vagal neurones that innervate the gut to determine the role of vagal gut‐brain signalling in the control of food intake, energy expenditure and glucose homoeostasis in response to different diets. Methods Rat nodose ganglia were injected bilaterally with either the neurotoxin saporin conjugated to the gastrointestinal hormone cholecystokinin (CCK), or unconjugated saporin as a control. Food intake, body weight, glucose tolerance and energy expenditure were measured in both groups in response to chow or high‐fat high‐sugar (HFHS) diet. Willingness to work for fat or sugar was assessed by progressive ratio for orally administered solutions, while post‐ingestive feedback was tested by measuring food intake after an isocaloric lipid or sucrose pre‐load. Results Vagal deafferentation of the gut increases meal number in lean chow‐fed rats. Switching to a HFHS diet exacerbates overeating and body weight gain. The breakpoint for sugar or fat solution did not differ between groups, suggesting that increased palatability may not drive HFHS‐induced hyperphagia. Instead, decreased satiation in response to intra‐gastric infusion of fat, but not sugar, promotes hyperphagia in CCK‐Saporin‐treated rats fed with HFHS diet. Conclusions We conclude that intact sensory vagal neurones prevent hyperphagia and exacerbation of weight gain in response to a HFHS diet by promoting lipid‐mediated satiation.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
obesity
Physiology
Efferent
Hyperphagia
030204 cardiovascular system & hematology
Weight Gain
03 medical and health sciences
Parasympathetic nervous system
0302 clinical medicine
fat
Afferent
Regular Paper
medicine
Humans
Medulla
post‐ingestive
business.industry
digestive, oral, and skin physiology
Entire abdominal cavity
Brain
Vagus Nerve
Anatomy
Metabolism and Nutritional Physiology
030104 developmental biology
medicine.anatomical_structure
palatability
nervous system
sugar
Sugars
business
circulatory and respiratory physiology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17481716 and 17481708
- Volume :
- 231
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Acta Physiologica
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....0130cbb42b8e91680949cb2715b39ba4