Influence of sympathectomy on body weight of rats given chow or supermarket diets.

Rats that were neonatally sympathectomized with guanethidine (GUA) and given access to a four-component supermarket diet (SD) when either adolescent or adult gained weight at the same rate as controls. Adrenodemedullation (MDL) of adults, either alone or in combination with GUA treatment, also failed to influence the development of dietary obesity. Neonatal sympathectomy induced small changes in caloric consumption and diet preferences. These results question the notion that the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is an essential contributor to the control of body weight and the development of dietary obesity.