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Exposure to Elevated Levels of Dietary Fat Attenuates Psychostimulant Reward and Mesolimbic Dopamine Turnover in the Rat
Recent studies indicate that decreased central dopamine is associated with diet-induced obesity in humans and in animal models. In the current study, the authors assessed the hypothesis that diet-induced obesity reduces mesolimbic dopamine function. Specifically, the authors compared dopamine turnov...
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Published in: | Behavioral neuroscience 2008-12, Vol.122 (6), p.1257-1263 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Recent studies
indicate that decreased central dopamine is associated with diet-induced obesity
in humans and in animal models. In the current study, the authors assessed the
hypothesis that diet-induced obesity reduces mesolimbic dopamine function.
Specifically, the authors compared dopamine turnover in this region between rats
fed a high-fat diet and those consuming a standard low-fat diet. The authors
also assessed behavioral consequences of diet-induced obesity by testing the
response of these animals in a conditioned place paradigm using amphetamine as a
reinforcer and in an operant conditioning paradigm using sucrose reinforcement.
Results demonstrate that animals consuming a high-fat diet, independent of the
development of obesity, exhibit decreased dopamine turnover in the mesolimbic
system, reduced preference for an amphetamine cue, and attenuated operant
responding for sucrose. The authors also observed that diet-induced obesity with
a high-fat diet attenuated mesolimbic dopamine turnover in the nucleus
accumbens. These data are consistent with recent hypotheses that the hormonal
signals derived from adipose tissue regulate the activity of central nervous
system structures involved in reward and motivation, which may have implications
for the treatment of obesity and/or addiction. |
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ISSN: | 0735-7044 1939-0084 |
DOI: | 10.1037/a0013111 |