Effects of vagotomy on feeding and defecation in guinea pigs.

The effect of subdiaphragmatic vagotomy on food intake and defecation was studied in guinea pigs. Weights of food and feces were measured for at least three weeks after vagotomy. The weight of daily food intake and feces evacuated increased about 15 and 30% after vagotomy compared with controls whereas it did not change in sham operated animals. The weight of scybalum decreased after vagotomy although the number increased markedly. It was considered that an increase in food intake after vagotomy may result from blocking of satiety signals mediated by the vagus; moreover, that the increase in feces may depend on the enhancement of scybalum formation in the proximal colon resulting from increasing food intake and transportation of the larger amount of the contents after vagotomy.