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Updated: Jan 26, 2026
05:57
Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats
Published on: June 27, 2014
13.7K
Uncontrollable chronic stress affects eating behavior in rats
Marina Liliana González-Torres1, Cristiano Valerio Dos Santos2
1a Department of psychology , Autonomus University of Aguascalientes , Aguascalientes , México.
Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|April 10, 2019
Summary
Chronic stress, particularly inescapable shocks, significantly reduces food and water intake and body weight gain in rats. This study links learned helplessness and chronic stress to altered eating behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Stress Physiology
- Animal Models
Background:
- The impact of stress on eating behavior is complex, with the role of uncontrollability versus shock severity debated.
- Limited research exists on how chronic uncontrollable stressors differentially affect food intake.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of chronic escapable versus inescapable electric shocks on rat eating behavior.
- To clarify the contribution of stressor uncontrollability to stress-induced changes in feeding.
Main Methods:
- Rats were subjected to a 20-day alternating sessions design (ABAB) of either escapable or inescapable electric shocks.
- Food and water intake, along with body weight, were monitored during stress and baseline periods.
Main Results:
- Both escapable and inescapable shocks reduced food and water intake and body weight gain during stress periods.
- Inescapable shocks induced a more pronounced reduction in intake and weight gain compared to escapable shocks.
Conclusions:
- Learned helplessness, induced by inescapable stressors, is closely linked to chronic stress.
- Chronic stress, especially uncontrollable stress, significantly impacts eating behavior and physiological responses.
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