Dr. deridder lesions, or damages, the ventromedial hypothalamus in one group of rats and the lateral hypothalamus in another group. what effect might he expect on the eating behavior of each group of rats? both groups should begin overeating and become grossly obese. rats with ventromedial lesions should begin overeating; rats with lateral lesions should stop eating. both groups should stop eating and perhaps eventually starve to death. rats with ventromedial lesions should stop eating; rats with lateral lesions should begin overeating.