Genetic aspects of regulation of food intake

Food intake, water intake, and drinking spout side preference of 28 mouse strains

Male mice from 28 inbred strains (129P3/J, A/J, AKR/J, BALB/cByJ, BUB/BnJ, C3H/HeJ, C57BL/6J, C57L/J, CAST/Ei, CBA/J, CE/J, DBA/2J, FVB/NJ, I/LnJ, KK/H1J, LP/J, NOD/LtJ, NZB/B1NJ, P/J, PL/J, RBF/DnJ, RF/J, RIIIS/J, SEA/GnJ, SJL/J, SM/J, SPRET/Ei, and SWR/J) were fed chow and had access to two water bottles. Body weight, food intake, water intake, and drinking spout side preference were measured. There were large strain differences in all the measures collected, with at least a two-fold difference between strains with the lowest and the highest trait values. Estimates of heritability ranged from 0.36 (spout side preference) to 0.87 (body weight). Body weight, food intake, and water intake were interrelated among the strains, although substantial strain variation in food and water intakes independent from body weight was present. The strain differences described here provide useful information for designing mutagenesis screens and choosing strains for genetic mapping studies.

Concurrence of anorexia nervosa and yellow mutant albinism

A review of published clinical reports shows that anorexia nervosa has been found in association with several genetic anomalies, principally gonosomal aneuploidy. An additional, and unique, association is described here: a case of anorexia nervosa in a patient with the yellow mutant form of oculocutaneous albinism and no other apparent chromosomal abnormalities. While the concurrence of these two disorders in a single person is apparently a chance phenomenon, our review of experimental publications shows that feeding disturbances also occur in yellow mutant mice. Such complementary findings suggest the need for continuing investigation of the genetic foundations of eating behaviour.

Basic considerations in the treatment of obesity

The recognition and treatment of obesity has undergone marked changes in the past two decades. Along with the abandoning of the concept of exogenous obesity, the physician has discovered a variety of developmental, psychological, pharmacologic, socioeconomic, neurological, and genetic roots for the syndrome. The clinician has also found medical treatment modalities (fasting and behavior modification) that hold much more promise than traditional supportive relationships with dietary consultation and anorexogenic medications. Surgical treatment also, ileojejunal bypass, is gradually emerging as a treatment of choice for certain well-motivated, super-obese people for whom all other treatment modalities have failed. Future research into central serotonergic mechanisms offers hope that we can begin to know what it is that turns on hunger, turns off appetite, and regulates weight in such a stable manner over such a long period of time.

Diabetes in the mouse due to two mutant genes - a bibliography

A bibliography is presented of work involving the two diabetes-producing autosomal recessive mutations in the mouse, db and db2j.