Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026
08:26
Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice
Published on: May 14, 2018
Self-starvation in the rat: running versus eating
1School of Psychology (A18), University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. bobb@psych.usyd.edu.au
The Spanish Journal of Psychology
|November 13, 2007
Summary
Rats engaging in high activity and restricted feeding may self-starve to death. This study explores factors influencing this phenomenon and its potential as an animal model for anorexia nervosa.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Animal Models of Eating Disorders
Background:
- Rats with wheel access and food restriction exhibit paradoxical weight loss and reduced food intake.
- The underlying mechanisms of this self-starvation phenomenon remain poorly understood despite decades of observation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors influencing self-starvation in rats.
- To compare explanations for reduced food intake under these conditions.
- To assess the relevance of this model for human anorexia nervosa.
Main Methods:
- Examination of factors such as age, food access duration, food type, and ambient temperature.
- Comparison of competing hypotheses including circadian adaptation, thermoregulation, and learned food aversion.
Main Results:
- Self-starvation occurrence is influenced by multiple factors including age, food access, food type, and temperature.
- No single explanation fully accounts for the observed self-starvation.
- The phenomenon likely results from a complex interplay of various contributing factors.
Conclusions:
- Self-starvation in rats is a multifactorial phenomenon.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for interpreting results from this animal model.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms and relevance to anorexia nervosa.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation
During the initial hours of fasting, the body uses up its glycogen stores as an energy source. Once these glycogen reserves are depleted, the body begins breaking down stored triglycerides and structural proteins. During this stage, glycerol becomes a key substrate for gluconeogenesis, while free fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation to provide energy for tissues, such as skeletal muscle. In the fasting state, the body spares protein breakdown as much as possible to conserve muscle and structural...
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
01:25Primary Motives: Hunger and Thirst
Hunger and thirst are fundamental physiological drives crucial for maintaining homeostasis and ensuring the survival of both humans and animals. These drives are regulated through complex interactions between the brain, hormones, and sensory receptors.
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus acts...
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus acts...
01:18Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State
The postabsorptive state usually starts about four hours after a meal and lasts until the next meal is eaten. During this time, the digestive system stops absorbing nutrients, and the body uses stored energy reserves to maintain stable blood glucose levels.
Initially, glycogen stored in the liver is broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream, while glycogen in the muscles is broken down to supply glucose for energy directly within the muscle cells. As glycogen stores diminish,...
Initially, glycogen stored in the liver is broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream, while glycogen in the muscles is broken down to supply glucose for energy directly within the muscle cells. As glycogen stores diminish,...
00:48Optimal Foraging
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...