The upper middle hypothalamus is not needed for mice to show daily food-related behavior, body temperature changes, or internal clock gene patterns

A single 4-hour midday feeding after an overnight fast induced clock gene expression in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and other brain regions.

• Clock gene expression in specific brain regions was influenced by a midday feeding schedule.
• Rhythmic expression of clock genes persisted during two days of food deprivation after 12 days of scheduled feeding.
• Acute induction of certain clock genes in the DMH relied on NMDA receptor activity, while rhythmic expression after extended feeding schedules did not.
• Thermal lesions to the DMH did not impact the acute induction or rhythmic expression of clock genes in other areas of the brain following feeding.
• DMH lesions reduced overall daily activity levels and nocturnal behavior but did not affect food-anticipatory rhythms in activity or body temperature.

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