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Using the Activity-based Anorexia Rodent Model to Study the Neurobiological Basis of Anorexia Nervosa
Published on: October 22, 2015
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Evaluating anhedonia in the activity-based anorexia (ABA) rat model.
Laura K Milton1, Brian J Oldfield1, Claire J Foldi1
1Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
Physiology & Behavior
|June 19, 2018
Summary
Anorexia nervosa (AN) patients exhibit anhedonia, a reduced ability to feel pleasure. The activity-based anorexia (ABA) rodent model shows hyperactivity predicts weight loss susceptibility, not anhedonia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Eating Disorders Research
Background:
- Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by anhedonia, a diminished capacity for pleasure.
- The mesolimbic reward circuitry is implicated in the neurobiological underpinnings of anhedonia.
- The activity-based anorexia (ABA) rodent model recapitulates key features of AN, including rapid weight loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of anhedonia in the activity-based anorexia (ABA) rodent model.
- To explore the neurobiological mechanisms of reward circuitry in AN using the ABA model.
- To assess the relationship between hyperactivity, hedonic processing, and weight loss in the ABA paradigm.
Main Methods:
- Female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the ABA protocol: ad libitum wheel running and scheduled food access.
- Hedonic processing was measured by assaying preference for sweetened water.
- Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of running wheel activity and food restriction on weight loss and reward.
Main Results:
- The ABA protocol induced transient anhedonia in only 25% of cases.
- Running wheel activity alone rapidly induced an aversion to sweetened water.
- High pre-protocol running wheel activity predicted increased susceptibility to weight loss in the ABA model.
- Food anticipatory activity predicted subsequent food intake only in weight loss-resistant rats.
Conclusions:
- Anhedonia does not appear to underlie precipitous weight loss in the ABA model.
- Hyperactivity is a significant predictor of susceptibility to the ABA paradigm.
- These findings offer insights into the neurobiological framework of ABA and reward mechanisms relevant to feeding and weight loss.
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