Neural Mechanisms in Eating and Satiation

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Homeostasis

-Mechanisms detect state of internal environment

-Restores environment to optimal state

-Body evolved 2 mechanisms to regulate food intake, depend on glucose levels:

-Hunger increases=glucose levels decrease

-Decline in glucose levels activates LATERAL HYPOTHALAMUS resulting in hunger

-Glucose levels rise after eating food

-This activates VENTROMEDIAL HYPOTHALAMUS leading to feelings of satiation and stop eating

Evaluation

-Evolutionary explanation suggest hunger and eating is because of positive incentive value- survival

-Limitations to explanation: For mechanisms to be truly adaptive must anticipate + prevent energy deficits rather than just react to them- claim that feelings of hunger + eating behaviour are only triggered when engery falls below optimal level is inconsistent with harsh environment in which mechanisms would have developed, buffer against lack of future food availability would have been necessary

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