Sex differences in hyperphagia and body weight gains following goldthioglucose-induced hypothalamic lesions in mice*

Hypothalamic damage was induced in age-matched male and female albino mice by goldthioglucose injection, and their food consumption and body weight were compared over the following 60-day period. Sex differences in food consumption were also investigated as a function of palatability of food. Results show no significant sex differences in food consumption, although marked sex differences in body weight gain were noted. Female mice with hypothalamic damage gained more body weight than did male mice with hypothalamic damage. These results suggest that obesity induced by hypothalamic damage is probably due to the combined effects of neural and hormonal changes.