Effects of cerebral lateral, ventricular infusions of phloridzin on feeding and body weight in Gallus domesticus (L.)

Revisiting glucose regulation in birds - A negative model of diabetes complications

Birds naturally have blood glucose concentrations that are nearly double levels measured for mammals of similar body size and studies have shown that birds are resistant to insulin-mediated glucose uptake into tissues. While a combination of high blood glucose and insulin resistance is associated with diabetes-related pathologies in mammals, birds do not develop such complications. Moreover, studies have shown that birds are resistant to oxidative stress and protein glycation and in fact, live longer than similar-sized mammals. This review seeks to explore how birds regulate blood glucose as well as various theories that might explain their apparent resistance to insulin-mediated glucose uptake and adaptations that enable them to thrive in a state of relative hyperglycemia.

Evidence for hepatic glucostatic regulation of food intake in the domestic chicken and its interaction with gastro-intestinal control

1. Male birds of a laying strain had permanent catheters introduced into the hepatic portal vein via the coccygeo-mesenteric vein. 2. Infusions of 5 ml of 40, 100 or 150 g glucose/l solution over 2 min caused a non-significant depression of food intake compared with a 9 g NaCl/l control solution. 3. Infusions of a range of isotonic glucose solution (0 to 60 g glucose/l, 30- mosm) at 1.4 ml/min over 3 h caused food intake depression within the 3-h period (P less than 0.01) proportional to the logarithm of the dose. 4. This effect was not observed when 60 g glucose/l was infused at the above rates into the jugular vein. 5. Starvation of the bird for 21 h accentuated the depressive effect of glucose load on food intake, especially when birds were not given food until after the 3-h infusion. 6. The infusion of solutions of sodium chloride (1.0 to 13.0 g/l, 33 to 433 mosmoles/kg) at 1.4 ml/min over 3 h stimulated food intake within the range of 3 to 7 g NaCl/l (100 to 233 mosm) but suppressed intake outside this range. This can be interpreted as a possible interaction with water intake control. 7. Infusion of 20 ml of glucose solution (0, 18 or 54 g/l) over 5 min into the crop and 0, 3.75 or 60 g glucose/l at 1.4 ml/min over 3 h into the hepatic portal vein, caused an additive, linear depression of food intake.