Cholesterol metabolism in the rat following lesions of the diencephalon

In rats, bilateral electrolytic lesions of either the ventromedial hypothalamus or the septal nuclei, when combined with a high-cholesterol diet, produced elevation of total plasma cholesterol. The similar pattern of results produced by lesions in two discrete brain regions suggests that altered cholesterol metabolism may be a consequence of the common behavior, aggression, that these lesions produce. In addition, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, when expressed as a percentage of total plasma cholesterol, was lower in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.