Draft:Cannon-Washburn Hunger Experiment
 | Review waiting, please be patient.
This may take 2 months or more, since drafts are reviewed in no specific order. There are 1,320 pending submissions waiting for review.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
Reviewer tools
|
The Cannon-Washburn Hunger Experiment was conducted in 1912 by American physiologist Walter Cannon and his colleague A.L. Washburn. This experiment investigated the physiological mechanisms of hunger by examining the relationship between stomach contractions and the sensation of hunger. The results of the study provided early evidence for the role of the stomach in hunger regulation and helped establish a foundation for modern research on appetite control.
Background
[edit]In the early 20th century, the understanding of hunger was limited, and it was often considered a purely psychological sensation. However, Walter Cannon, a prominent physiologist, hypothesized that hunger had a physiological basis related to stomach activity. He proposed that the sensation of hunger was linked to contractions of the stomach when it was empty. This idea was driven by observations of people experiencing "hunger pangs" when they had not eaten for extended periods.[1]
Cannon's work followed his earlier contributions to the study of the autonomic nervous system and his coining of the "fight or flight" response. With the help of graduate student A.L. Washburn, Cannon set out to test whether stomach contractions were responsible for signaling hunger to the brain.
Experimental Setup
[edit]To test the hypothesis, Cannon designed an experiment in which A.L. Washburn swallowed a deflated rubber balloon attached to a tube. Once the balloon was in Washburn's stomach, it was inflated, and the pressure of the balloon against the stomach walls was used to simulate the feeling of fullness. At the same time, Cannon attached a device to the tube that could measure and record the stomach contractions in real time. The device, similar to a kymograph, tracked the mechanical activity of the stomach.[2]
Throughout the experiment, Washburn was asked to report his subjective feelings of hunger. Cannon and Washburn then compared these reports with the recorded stomach contractions to determine whether a relationship existed between the two.
Findings
[edit]The results of the experiment showed a clear correlation between stomach contractions and the sensation of hunger. Washburn's feelings of hunger coincided with the rhythmic contractions of his empty stomach, as recorded by the device. When the balloon in Washburn's stomach was inflated, thereby preventing the stomach from contracting, his sensations of hunger diminished.[3]
Cannon and Washburn concluded that stomach contractions play a critical role in signaling hunger to the brain. Their findings suggested that hunger could be alleviated by distending the stomach, even in the absence of food consumption. This finding provided the first experimental evidence linking hunger to the physiological state of the stomach.
Limitations
[edit]Despite its pioneering nature, the Cannon-Washburn experiment had several limitations. The study primarily focused on mechanical activity in the stomach, neglecting other physiological factors that contribute to hunger. Later research revealed that hunger regulation is more complex, involving hormones and neural signals in addition to stomach contractions.[4]
Subsequent studies identified the role of the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that regulates hunger and satiety by processing signals from hormones such as ghrelin (which stimulates hunger) and leptin (which induces feelings of fullness).[5]
Legacy and Impact
[edit]The Cannon-Washburn experiment is considered a landmark study in the field of appetite research and psychophysiology. It demonstrated that hunger is not merely a psychological experience but also a physiological response to the physical state of the stomach. By shifting attention to the biological mechanisms behind hunger, Cannon and Washburn paved the way for later discoveries in digestive physiology and neurobiology.[6]
Today, the Cannon-Washburn experiment is remembered as an early attempt to explore the complex interplay between the digestive system and the brain in hunger regulation. Although modern science has expanded on its findings, the experiment remains a foundational study in understanding how the body and brain regulate appetite.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Smith, David. The Science of Hunger: The Body's Way of Telling You It's Time to Eat. Cambridge University Press, 2012, pp. 58-60.
- ^ Cannon, Walter B. The Mechanical Factors of Digestion and Hunger. Harvard University Press, 1912.
- ^ Cannon, Walter B., Washburn, A.L. "An Experimental Study of Hunger". American Journal of Physiology, vol. 29, 1912, pp. 441-454.
- ^ Schwartz, Michael W., et al. "Central Nervous System Control of Food Intake." Nature, vol. 404, no. 6778, 2000, pp. 661-671.
- ^ Bray, George A. "A Historical Perspective on Research in Obesity." Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, vol. 89, no. 6, 2004, pp. 2052-2060.
- ^ Blundell, John E., and Halford, Jason C.G. "Hunger and Satiety: New Concepts on the Etiology of Obesity." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 354, 1999, pp. 2521-2540.