Intra-accumbens infusion of a muscarinic antagonist reduces food intake without altering the incentive properties of food-associated cues.
Previous work has implicated the cholinergic system in modulating feeding behavior; however, its specific function remains unclear. This work aims to characterize potential dissociations between the central cholinergic modulation of the incentive properties of food and food-associated cues, and consummatory behaviors. Three separate experiments demonstrated that intra-accumbens infusion of the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine 3 hr before the testing session significantly decreased food intake. General motor activity in anticipation of food was not diminished. Experiments also showed that scopolamine did not impair operant responding for a food-associated conditioned reinforcer (CR), nor was d-amphetamine potentiation of CR responding altered by scopolamine pretreatment. This study contributes to the growing evidence that goal-seeking behaviors are mediated by a set of neural processes distinct from those governing food reward.
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology and Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin.
Michelle L
ML
Perry
Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin.
Matthew E
0000-0002-3557-3453
ME
Andrzejewski
Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin.
Susan M
SM
Bushek
Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin.
Brian A
BA
Baldo
D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D003463:Cues; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D012601:Scopolamine