Long-term high fat diet consumption reversibly alters feeding behavior via a dopamine-associated mechanism in mice.

ABSTRACT: Obesity is a costly, global epidemic that is perpetuated by an unhealthy diet. A significant factor in the initial consumption and maintenance of an unhealthy diet is the abundance of highly palatable, calorically dense foods. The aim of the present study is to better understand the effects of high fat diet (HFD) consumption on food valuation and preference, and to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms mediating these effects. By using a novel food preference assay, we found that prolonged consumption of a HFD diminishes preference for and consumption of the more calorically dense food choice when two lab diets are presented. Additionally, we demonstrated that prolonged HFD consumption dampens ventral tegmental c-fos induction during hedonic feeding, implicating the mesolimbic dopamine

SUBMITTER: Altherr E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8380739 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature