Neural systems responsible for the gastric secretion provoked by 2-deoxy-D-glucose cytoglucopoenia

1. The central structures responsible for the gastrosecretory effect of cytoglucopoenia caused by 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) were investigated in 105 cats prepared with chronic gastric fistulae and subjected to various experimental procedures. 2. Bilateral electrolytic lesion of the caudalmost two thirds of globus pallidus almost suppressed the secretory response and caused aphagia and adipsia. 3. Secretion in response to 2-DG and feeding behaviour were entirely blocked after making a lesion in a large ventromedial area of the meso diencephalic transition comprising the ventral tegmental area of Tsai, the ventral tegmental decussation, the red nucleus, a ventral portion of the central grey matter, the interstitial nuclei of Darkschewitsch and of Cajal, the pre-rubral fields, the reticular part of substantia nigra, the internal portion of the cerebral peduncle and the ventral part of the mesencephalic reticular formation. 4. Microinjection of 2-DG in the medial forebrain bundle, at the level of the hypothalamus, caused intense gastric secretion, whereas the same procedure was totally ineffective when the caudalmost two thirds of the globus pallidus were stimulated. 5. Increasing doses of 2-DG, systemically injected, restored the secretory response in volume and acid concentration and output after intercollicular transection of the brain stem. After the transection, secretion of pepsin was only slightly increased when large doses of 2-DG were administered, thus suggesting a differential control of water, acid and pepsin secretion in response to cytoglucopoenia. 6. It is concluded that there are at least three reflex systems involved in gastric secretion due to cytoglucopoenia: (a) a reflex consisting of afferent and efferent pathways in the medial forebrain bundle area; (b) a reflex whose afferent side is from the hypothalamus and efferent side is from the globus pallidus; (c) a reflex with the afferent side probably originating in the liver and the efferent side in the lower brain stem. 7. The pathways involved in the first two arcs run along Nauta's limbic mid-brain circuit. The three systems are possibly related to control of secretion and feeding behaviour.