A neuroscientist is investigating the neural and hormonal pathways that regulate appetite in rodents. They compare the effects of localized hypothalamic lesions with genetic knockouts of specific appetite-regulating chemical messengers.
Which of the following statements correctly evaluates or predicts the outcomes of these physiological manipulations?
A chemical lesion of the LH will result in hyperphagia and obesity, because the LH normally functions as the satiety centre by responding directly to high levels of leptin.
Since NPY is a satiety-inducing (anorexigenic) peptide, mice lacking NPY will exhibit persistent overeating and obesity, mimicking the effects of a VMH lesion.
A lesion to the LH typically leads to aphagia (failure to eat), whereas ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone that stimulates appetite by activating NPY-producing neurons in the hypothalamus.
Leptin is an orexigenic hormone secreted by adipose tissue that stimulates the VMH to initiate eating behaviour when fat stores are low.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Neural and hormonal control of eating with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 8 questions, matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
