Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone and insulin in relation to feeding in rats

In unrestrained male Wistar rats chronically implanted with intracardiac catheters, blood samples were taken every 20 min throughout the 24 h of the diurnal cycle. Plasma concentrations of growth hormone (GH), insulin, and glucose were measured. The pattern of food intake was continuously monitored. The existence of 3-h pulsatile cycles of GH secretion was confirmed. In addition, short bursts of insulin secretion were observed in the middle of every second GH peak-to-peak interval. Food intake appeared to be enhanced during short periods that corresponded with GH release into the blood and was reduced during the GH peak-to-peak periods in which the bursts of insulin secretion were observed. From these observations this study draws a schematic relationship between the rhythmicity of the secretion of GH and insulin and the probability of occurrence of feeding. We speculate that the rhythmic endocrine activity may be causally related to feeding.