Role of Ventromedial Hypothalamus in Sucrose-Induced Obesity on Metabolic Parameters

BACKGROUND: Obesity is because of excessive fat accumulation that affects health adversely in the form of various diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and many other disorders. Our Indian diet is rich in carbohydrates, and hence the sucrose-induced obesity is an apt model to mimic this. Ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) is linked to the regulation of food intake in animals as well as humans. PURPOSE: To understand the role of VMHin sucrose-induced obesity on metabolic parameters. METHODS: A total of 24 adult rats were made obese by feeding them on a 32% sucrose solution for 10 weeks. The VMH nucleus was ablated in the experimental group and sham lesions were made in the control group. Food intake, body weight, and biochemical parameters were compared before and after the lesion. RESULTS: Male rats had a significant weight gain along with hyperphagia, whereas female rats did not have a significant weight gain inspite of hyperphagia. Insulin resistance and dyslipidemia were seen in both the experimental and control groups. CONCLUSION: A sucrose diet produces obesity which is similar to the metabolic syndrome with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, and a VMH lesion further exaggerates it. Males are more prone to this exaggeration.