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Related Experiment Video

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Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats
08:07

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Published on: August 24, 2016

Dopamine and learned food preferences.

Anthony Sclafani1, Khalid Touzani, Richard J Bodnar

  • 1Cognition, Brain and Behavior Doctoral Subprogram, Graduate Center, City University of New York, NY, United States. ASclafani@gc.cuny.edu

Physiology & Behavior
|May 10, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Dopamine (DA) signaling is crucial for learning sugar-based flavor preferences. Blocking D1-like receptors during training prevents this learning, suggesting specific dopamine pathways are involved in forming these preferences.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Neuropharmacology

Background:

  • Early research suggested dopamine (DA) signaling in the nucleus accumbens mediates learned flavor preferences from nutritive feedback.
  • This study further investigates the role of DA in flavor preference conditioning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the involvement of specific dopamine receptor subtypes in learned flavor preferences.
  • To identify brain regions where dopamine signaling is critical for acquiring and expressing these preferences.

Main Methods:

  • Rats were trained to associate a saccharin solution (CS+) with intragastric glucose infusions and another (CS-) with water.
  • Selective D1-like (SCH23390) and D2-like (raclopride) receptor antagonists were administered systemically or locally during training or testing.
  • Behavioral responses and intake were measured.

Main Results:

  • Systemic D1-like antagonist (SCH23390) administration during training blocked learned flavor preference acquisition.
  • D2-like antagonist (raclopride) did not block learning.
  • Local microinjections of SCH23390 into the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, or lateral hypothalamus during training also blocked or attenuated conditioning.
  • Neither systemic nor local antagonist administration affected the expression of already learned preferences at non-suppressive doses.

Conclusions:

  • Dopamine signaling, particularly via D1-like receptors, is essential for the acquisition of learned flavor preferences associated with caloric rewards.
  • Multiple brain regions, including the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, and lateral hypothalamus, are involved in this DA-mediated learning process.
  • Dopamine's role appears to be in the learning/conditioning phase rather than the expression of established preferences.