Following damage to the __________, a rat eats meals at a normal frequency, but each individual meal is enormous. The rat acts as if it no longer feels the usual sensation of distention.

A) salivary cortex
B) hypothalamus
C) cerebellum
D) ventromedial hippocampus

The hypothalamus plays a critical role in appetite regulation, and damage to this area can result in hyperphagia (excessive eating). In this case, the rat's lack of sensation of distention suggests damage to the hypothalamic region responsible for satiety signaling. The other brain regions listed are not directly involved in appetite regulation.