Role of forebrain glucose-monitoring neurons in the central control of feeding: II. Complex functional attributes.

Our parallel investigations in the lateral hypothalamic are (LHA), amygdaloid body (AMY) and globus pallidus (GP) provided evidence for the existence of glucose-sensitive (GS) neurons in these forebrain regions. To examine exogenous chemosensory responsiveness of these cells, extracellular single neuron activity was recorded in anesthetized or alert rhesus monkeys and in anesthetized rats during 1) microelectrophoretic administration of chemicals and 2) gustatory and 3) olfactory stimulations. The GS cells in all three forebrain structures were more likely than the glucose-insensitive (GIS) neurons to change in firing rate in response to tastes and smells. The gustatory (and olfactory) GS neurons, compared to the non-gustatory GS or both types of GIS cells, displayed significantly higher sensitivities to catecholamines. Neurons with both "endogenous" and "exogenous" chemosensitivity were found to be topographically organized in the LHA, AMY and GP as well. While receiving further evidence for the substantial morphological and functional overlapping of the brain's glucose-monitoring neural network and the central gustatory representations, on the basis of the present and previous findings, it is suggested that constituents of this complex system accomplish a simultaneous monitoring, integration and control of a broad variety of feeding-associated signals of the internal and external milieux for the biological welfare of the organism.