Abstract #3278

Tuor U, Koopmans H, Foniak T, Kirk D, Tomanek B, Wamsteeker J

Greater understanding of extra-hypothalamic CNS control of hunger and satiety will be valuable in developing strategies to combat obesity. fMRI was used to study altered BOLD MR signal intensity changes that accompany the administration of liquid food to hungry anesthetized rats. Cluster analysis showed that in all animals a large number of the brain voxels in all slices examined had a marked reduction in BOLD signal intensity after food infusion. However, the activation response to electrical forepaw stimulation was enhanced after feeding. Both suggest altered vascular reactivity and/or coupling between cerebral blood flow and glucose/oxygen utilization post-feeding.