Sweetened-fat intake sensitizes gamma-aminobutyric acid-mediated feeding responses elicited from the nucleus accumbens shell.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is much interest in exploring whether reward-driven feeding can produce druglike plasticity in the brain. The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system in the nucleus accumbens (Acb) shell, which modulates hypothalamic feeding systems, is well placed to "usurp" homeostatic control of feeding. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether feeding-induced neuroadaptations occur in this system.

Methods

Separate groups of ad libitum-maintained rats were exposed to daily bouts of sweetened-fat intake, predator stress, or intra-Acb shell infusions of either d-amphetamine (2 or 10 μg) or the μ-opioid agonist D-[Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO, 2.5 μg), then challenged with intra-Acb shell infusion of the GABAA agonist, muscimol (10 ng).

Results

Exposure to sweet

SUBMITTER: Newman S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3885159 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature