| Abstract: | The effect of environmental cold upon feeding, food-motivated behavior, and gastric clearance of food was studied in 36 female Sherman rats in 4 experiments. Ss ate liquid diet in either a 5 or 22Deg. C ambient temperature (T-sub(a)) following (a) 24-hr food deprivation at T)a) of either 5 or 22Deg. C or (b) 0- or 48-hr food deprivation at T-sub(a) 22Deg. C. Ss ate more at 5 than at 22Deg. C regardless of the ambient temperature during deprivation. Ss increased feeding in the cold by increasing meal frequency but not meal size. Cold (5Deg. C) also enhanced the urge to eat. Ss barpressed for food more often in the cold on a VI 30-sec schedule when gastric clearance of food was prevented by a pyloric noose and when food cleared from the stomach normally. Quinine adulteration of food suppressed food intake only in the 22Deg. C. Cold (5Deg. C) enhanced gastric clearance of liquid food within 20 min of ingestion. Results support the view that the peripheral sensation of cold is an adequate stimulus for feeding and that cold T-sub(a) can stimulate feeding directly by increasing the urge to eat and indirectly, secondary to increased gastric clearance. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
