Bibliographical Note on Behavioral Aspects: On the Margin of the 50th Anniversary of the Minnesota Starvation-Nutritional Rehabilitation Experiment

The principal technical aim of this note is to bring together bibliographic information on the papers dealing with the behavioral aspects of the study and published both before and, in particular, after the appearance in print of the two-volume treatise on The Biology of Human Starvation by Keys, et al. in 1950, which provides a systematic, comprehensive account. The communications fall into three categories: methods, results, and overviews. The section on results is concerned primarily with the effects on personality.

Recovery of endocrine and inflammatory mediators following an extended energy deficit

CONTEXT

Due to current operational requirements, elite soldiers deploy quickly after completing arduous training courses. Therefore, it is imperative that endocrine and inflammatory mediators have fully recovered.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to determine whether a short-term (2-6 wk) recovery period was sufficient to restore endocrine and inflammatory homeostasis after sustained energy deficit.

DESIGN

Before and immediately after the course, serum concentrations of inflammatory and endocrine markers were taken along with anthropometric measures prior to and immediately after the Army Ranger course. In addition, nine soldiers were assessed between 2 and 6 weeks after the course.

SETTING

This research occurred in a field setting during an intensive 8-week military training course characterized by high-energy expenditure, energy restriction, and sleep deprivation (U.S. Army Ranger School).

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-three male soldiers (23.0 ± 2.8 y; 177.6 ± 7.9 cm; 81.0 ± 9.6 kg, 16.8 ± 3.9% body fat) participated in this study.

INTERVENTIONS

There were no interventions used in this research.

OUTCOME MEASURES AND RESULTS

Significant changes occurred in circulating total testosterone (-70%), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (-33%), total IGF-1 (-38.7%), free IGF-1 (-41%), IGF binding protein (IGFBP-6; -23.4%), sex-hormone binding globulin (+46%), thyroid stimulating hormone (+85%), IGFBP-1 (+534.4%), IGFBP-2 (+98.3%), IGFBP-3 (+14.7%), IL-4 (+135%), IL-6 (+217%), and IL-8 (+101%). Significant changes in body mass (-8%), bicep (-14%), forearm (-5%), thigh (-7%), and calf (-2%) circumferences, sum of skinfolds (-52%), and percentage body fat (-54%). All anthropometric, inflammatory, and hormonal values, except T3, were restored to baseline levels within 2-6 weeks after the course.

CONCLUSIONS

Endocrine markers and anthropometric measures were degraded, and inflammatory mediators increased after an extended energy deficit. A short-term recovery of 2-6 weeks was sufficient to restore these mediators.

[Physiological basis of survival and rehabilitation of the residents of blockaded Leningrad]

The authors attribute survival of certain residents of blockaded Leningrad under conditions ofcomplete starvation to activation of natural sanologic mechanisms of the body. Physiological psychoemotional stress is supposed to contribute to the formation of prerequisites for survival during subsequent starvation. Also, the survival is believed to be related to selected activation of apoptosis of renewable cells and utilization of their constituents in endogenous nutrition. The role of priority energetic and trophic support of brain and kidneys and the contribution of the psychosomatic factor are postulated. The mechanisms of rehabilitation after upset of vital activity involve partial reversibility of atrophic and metabolic processes and neural regulation of organs and their systems. The importance of the study of activation of natural sanologic mechanisms in extreme conditions is discussed

Malnutrition and mortality during recent famines in Ethiopia: implications for food aid and rehabilitation

The 1972-73 and 1984-85 famines varied significantly among different populations within famine areas at the regional, community and household levels. Political and social factors were crucial in this pattern. Evidence from both pastoral and farming areas indicates that the development of community-based resources may be less disruptive socially and economically and result in less morbidity and mortality than dependence on relief shelters. Areas needing further study are identified.

[Intracellular regeneration of neurons in the rat lateral hypothalamic area of the brain after resumption of food intake]

Electron microscopy was used to explore changes in intracellular regeneration processes in neurons of the anterior, medial and posterior parts of the lateral hypothalamus area (LHA) of rats at various time (10, 20, 30, 50 and 70 days) after resumption of food perception. Ultrastructural changes observed during 7 days of food deprivation in intact neurons were of a reversible character. Recovery processes initially appeared and finished earlier in the neurons of medial (day 30) and anterior (day 50) parts of the LHA, in the posterior part of LHA the normalization of the neuronal structure was slower and was over only by the 70th day after the resumption of food reception. The above data are both of theoretical and practical importance, serving as a base for the study of directed treatment of diseases caused by hunger.

[Metabolism and nutritional status in plane crash situations without food reserves or with low-calorie rations]

The comparative study of the metabolism and nutritional status of test subjects who 3-5 days were in a contingency situation with no or low-caloric (300 g chocolate) food available demonstrated the advantage of even this inadequate diet as compared to no food.