Type of negative feedback controlling sucrose ingestion depends on sucrose concentration

The sham intake of concentrated, but not weak, milk solutions requires up to three sham-feeding tests for intake to reach maximum (7). It is well known that the sham intake of concentrated (0.8 M) sucrose requires three or more sham-feeding tests to reach its maximum (4, 6, 17), but it is not known if this occurs with weaker sucrose solutions. We investigated this question by measuring the sham intake of seven concentrations of sucrose (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0. 2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 M) during five sham-feeding tests. Sham intake of the three highest concentrations required up to three sham-feeding tests to reach maximum. Sham intake of the four lowest concentrations reached maximum in the first sham-feeding test. Our results show that the type of negative feedback that controls the intake of sucrose depends on its concentration. With weak solutions, intake is limited by a single direct, physiological, negative-feedback signal. When concentrated solutions are ingested, intake is controlled jointly by a direct physiological signal operating in conjunction with a labile one that loses its effectiveness with sham-feeding experience.