Alteration in water intake after the lesions of mammillary bodies

Abstract

The study carried out shows that the exaggerated drinking of rats with lesions of the mammillary bodies is a primary hyperdipsia, with a subsequent secondary polyuria. This hyperdipsia is not secondary to prandial drinking, surgical stress or even a possible «diabetes insipidus».

Secondly experimental rats had a water motivation level superior to that of control animals.

The conclusion that these experimental results leads to the conclusion that mammillary bodis like other limbic structures may be involved in water intake mechanisms.