Lecture Notes on Eating Regulation

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts discussed in the lecture notes about eating regulation.

Short Term Eating Regulation

The way we start to eat each day, several times a day.

Long Term Eating Regulation

How we regulate body weight over extended periods, especially in adults.

Homeostatic Regulation

Maintaining an optimal level of something, like blood sugar, where deviations activate regulatory systems.

Capillary Preparation (Cephalic Phase)

The body prepares for digestion before food enters the mouth, triggered by the sight, smell, or thought of food.

Absorption

Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream to be used for energy and body composition. Extra nutrients are stored.

Fasting Phase

The body uses stored nutrients when there is no immediate food availability.

Hypothalamus

The brain center that regulates the majority of processes related to food intake.

Lateral Hypothalamus

One of the sub-centers within the hypothalamus involved in the regulation of food intake and appetite.

Ventromedial Hypothalamus

Another sub-center within the hypothalamus, which, when activated, can lead to the sensation of fullness.

Blood Sugar Level

When blood sugar levels increase, the ventromedial hypothalamus is activated, leading to feeling full and stopping eating.

Stomach Fullness

Special receptors in the stomach feel fullness and send signals to the ventromedial hypothalamus via the vagal nerve.

Cholecystokinin

A message sent from the duodenum to the brain indicating that digestion is underway and it's time to stop eating.

Ghrelin

A hormone sent from the stomach/intestines to the brain, signaling hunger and the need to start eating.

Orexin

Neuropathic that activates the appetite and encourages eating.

Leptin

A hormone sent from fat cells to the brain, signaling satiety and the need to stop eating.

Lesion

Destroying a specific area of the brain

Stimulation

Activating a specific area of the brain with electrodes

Sham Operation

A control procedure where animals undergo the same operation stress without the actual lesion to isolate the effect of the lesion.

Conditioned Aversion

Developing a strong dislike for a food after associating it with a negative experience or illness.

Set Point Hypothesis

The theory that the body has a biologically determined weight, that it will try to maintain.

Fat Teleostat

Fat cells biologically number themselves to manage food intake.

Anorexia

An eating disorder characterized by a distorted self-image and the perception of being overweight, leading to severe food restriction.

Bulimia

An eating disorder involving binging episodes followed by purging behaviors to avoid weight gain.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A measure of body fat based on height and weight, used to classify individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.