Berger B D, Wise C D, Stein L
Science. 1971 Apr 16;172(3980):281-4. doi: 10.1126/science.172.3980.281.
Injection of norepinephrine in the lateral ventricles of rats recovering from lateral hypothalamic anorexia caused immediate feeding and, frequently, overeating. Intraventricular administration of the alpha-noradrenergic blocker, phentolamine, suppressed feeding in both normal rats and rats that had recovered from lateral hypothalamic lesions. Feeding is reinforced by ascending medial forebrain bundle fibers that form alpha-noradrenergic synapses in the hypothalamus and forebrain. Damage to these fibers suppresses feeding by reducing noradrenergic transmission and, hence, the rewarding value of food. Recovery of feeding after hypothalamic lesions coincides with the recovery of noradrenergic reward function.
向从下丘脑外侧性厌食症恢复的大鼠侧脑室内注射去甲肾上腺素会立即引起进食，且常常导致暴饮暴食。向脑室内注射α-去甲肾上腺素能阻滞剂酚妥拉明，会抑制正常大鼠以及从下丘脑外侧损伤中恢复的大鼠的进食。中脑前脑束纤维向上投射，在下丘脑和前脑形成α-去甲肾上腺素能突触，从而强化进食行为。这些纤维受损会通过减少去甲肾上腺素能传递，进而降低食物的奖赏价值，从而抑制进食。下丘脑损伤后进食的恢复与去甲肾上腺素能奖赏功能的恢复相一致。
