Behavioral and neural mechanisms of sugar overconsumption

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24614006
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Integrated Nutrition Science
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: YASOSHIMA Yasunobu 大阪大学, 人間科学研究科, 准教授 (00273566)
• Research Collaborator: ERINA Yamaguchi 大阪大学, 大学院人間科学研究科
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 過剰摂取行動 / 甘味刺激 / 動機づけ / 味覚嗜好性 / 味覚嗜好学習 / 扁桃体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present project aimed to develop mouse models of hedonically motivated sugar overconsumption and sugar preference. In Study 1, limited access to a highly palatable sucrose solution and chow for 10 days caused binge-like sucrose overconsumption in food-deprived mice. The binge-like behavior was not disrupted by energetic restoration such as systemic administration of glucose and preload of chow, suggesting that the binge-like behavior is driven by hedonic motivation rather than metabolic need. Longer training accelerated its reinstatement after long abstinence. In Study 2, FD mice were alternately exposed sucrose and saccharin. Trained mice increased sucrose intake and preference for sucrose over an equally sweet-tasting non-caloric saccharin. Mice with selective lesions of the basolateral, but not central, amygdala did not show these behavioral preference for sucrose. Our study provides useful mouse models of hedonic motivated sugar overconsumption and preference for sugar reward.

Free Research Field

行動神経科学