Neural Mechanisms Controlling Eating Behaviour

Question 1

Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VMH)

Answer 1

The satiety centre - inhibits feeding

Question 2

Anand and Brobeck 1951

Answer 2

Found that a lesion to the lateral hypothalamus causes aphagia in rats, concluded it was the feeding centre.

Question 3

Lateral Hypothalamus (LH)

Answer 3

The feeding centre - stimulates feeding

Question 4

Ghrelin

Answer 4

A hormone that is secreted from the stomach.
Released when the stomach is empty.
Sends signals to stimulate feelings of hunger.

Question 5

Where is ghrelin secreted from?

Answer 5

The stomach

Question 6

Which hormone signals you are hungry?

Answer 6

Ghrelin

Question 7

Cummings et al. 2004 procedure

Answer 7

6 participants
Ate lunch
Ghrelin levels measured through blood samples taken every 5 minutes
Assessed their levels of hunger every 30 minutes

Question 8

What did Cummings et al. 2004 find?

Answer 8

Blood ghrelin levels fell immediately after eating, then slowly began to rise and peaked when participants requested their evening meal.
Ghrelin levels also closely correlated with the degree of hunger reported by 5 out of the 6 participants.

Question 9

Cummings et al. 2004 evaluation

Answer 9

Extraneous variables such as time and context cues eliminated
Small sample size
Androcentric
Correlation not causation
Physical and psychological harm - but informed consent given.

Question 10

Which study investigated the changes in blood ghrelin levels over time between meals?

Answer 10

Cummings et al. 2004

Question 11

Where is CCK released from?

Answer 11

The duodenum

Question 12

What does CCK do?

Answer 12

CCK sends satiety signals to the hypothalamus in the presence of food to inhibit feeding.

Question 13

Glucostat theory

Answer 13

Suggests glucose levels are a key signal of satiety and hunger.
However, it has been found that the levels aren’t significant enough, and although diabetics have high levels of glucose, they still have normal appetites.

Question 14

What is the main short-term factor which inhibits the intake of food?

Answer 14

CCK being released from the duodenum when food is present

Question 15

What is leptin?

Answer 15

A hormone that is released from adipocytes to indicate body weight.
When there is more body fat, more leptin is released and the hypothalamus reduces feeding.

Question 16

Which hormone indicates body fat?

Answer 16

Leptin

Question 17

Which hormone inhibits feeding?

Answer 17

CCK

Question 18

Which hormone stimulates feeding?

Answer 18

Ghrelin

Question 19

Evaluate the biological explanation of eating behaviour.

Answer 19

Reductionist - only takes into account biological factors, ignores other factors such as environmental and social cues - for example, de Castro (2004) found that people eat more in the company of others.
Research is mostly done on non-human animals - this is unethical and also can’t be generalised to humans.

Question 20

Which part of the hypothalamus stimulates feeding?

Answer 20

Lateral hypothalamus (LH)

Question 21

Which part of the hypothalamus inhibits feeding?

Answer 21

Ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)

Question 22

Who found that people eat more in the company of others?

Answer 22

De Castro (2004)

Question 23

De Castro (2004)
What did they find and how would you use this in an essay?

Answer 23

They found that people eat more in the presence of others.

You would use this to evaluate the biological explanation of eating behaviour in and essay.

Question 24

Hetherington and Ranson 1942

Answer 24

Found that a lesion to the ventromedial hypothalamus caused over eating in rats, concluded the VMH is the satiety centre.

Question 25

Who concluded that the LH is the feeding centre?

Answer 25

Anand and Brobeck 1951

Question 26

Who concluded that the VMH is the satiety centre?

Answer 26

Hetherington and Ranson 1942