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What happens when the lateral hypothalamus is stimulated in an animal?

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Two wild horses graze on tall grass in the open prairie of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, with rolling badlands visible in the background. — Feeding behaviour Wild horses graze in the Badlands of North Dakota.

In the context of feeding behaviour, the lateral hypothalamus is often referred to as the "hunger centre" because it plays a critical role in facilitating feeding responses.1

When the lateral hypothalamus is electrically or chemically stimulated in an animal, it elicits voracious feeding, even in subjects that are already satiated. Conversely, the destruction of this area typically results in aphagia, or a prolonged refusal to eat.123

While early research suggested that this area might contain glucoreceptors that monitor blood glucose levels directly, more recent evidence indicates that such receptors may reside in the liver, which then sends signals to the hypothalamus. The lateral hypothalamus functions as part of a complex network within the brain to regulate energy intake and maintain body weight.13