Classically conditioned changes of blood glucose level

This paper reviews the literature dealing with classically conditioned changes of blood glucose level. When conditioning procedures are employed, the repeated administration of large amounts of insulin, or of glucose, leads to a conditioned decrease of blood glucose whereas the repeated administration of smaller amounts of insulin leads to a conditioned increase of glucose. These responses are interpreted as instances of reflex compensation by the central nervous system for rapid alterations of glucose availability. Instances of more naturally occurring changes of glucose levels, which appear to be under the control of the nervous system and to be conditionable, are also discussed. A model that accounts for the observed responses has been formulated and is presented.