Effect of dietary limiting amino acid in prepyriform cortex on meal patterns

Microinjection of the dietary limiting essential amino acid (DLAA) into the prepyriform cortex (PPC) increased intake of a diet having an imbalance among the essential amino acids (imbalanced diet) from 50-55% of baseline, when artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) was injected, to 70-75% of baseline. The increase in intake of the imbalanced diet by DLAA injection became apparent after 3-6 h and was maintained throughout the dark period. Meal size, meal duration, and the number of meals returned to normal after bilateral injections of the DLAA into the PPC of rats fed the imbalanced diet. Injection of the DLAA 30 min before the onset of the dark phase increased intake of imbalanced diet to 70% of baseline intake. When injections of threonine or isoleucine were made 6 and 3 h, respectively, prior to onset of the dark phase, intake of imbalanced diet increased to 85% of baseline intake. Results suggest that some form of processing of the injected DLAA within the PPC is necessary to increase the intake of imbalanced diets.