Rethinking food anticipatory activity in the activity-based anorexia rat model.
When a rat is on a limited fixed-time food schedule with full access to a running wheel (activity-based anorexia model, ABA), its activity level will increase hours prior to the feeding period. This activity, called food-anticipatory activity (FAA), is a hypothesized parallel to the hyperactivity symptom in human anorexia nervosa. To investigate in depth the characteristics of FAA, we retrospectively analyzed the level of FAA and activities during other periods in ABA rats. To our surprise, rats with the most body weight loss have the lowest level of FAA, which contradicts the previously established link between FAA and the severity of ABA symptoms. On the contrary, our study shows that postprandial activities are more directly related to weight loss. We conclude that FAA alone may not be sufficient to reflect model severity, and activities during other periods may be of potential value in studies using ABA model.
Research Group Experimental Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Hemmings
H
Wu
Research Group Experimental Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Kris
K
van Kuyck
M3-BIORES: Measure, Model & Manage Bioresponses, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Tim
T
Tambuyzer
Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Laura
L
Luyten
M3-BIORES: Measure, Model & Manage Bioresponses, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Jean-Marie
JM
Aerts
1] Research Group Experimental Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium [2] Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Bart
B
Nuttin
D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology