Chlordiazepoxide directly enhances positive ingestive reactions in rats

Benzodiazepines such as chlordiazepoxide (CDP) promote feeding in a number of species. This effect has been interpreted generally to be an indirect consequence of benzodiazepine anti-anxiety action, although some have questioned whether it might not reflect instead a direct action upon the reinforcing properties of foods. The present study employed a behavioral measure that can discriminate between these possibilities: palatability-dependent consummatory actions elicited in rats by tastes. The results suggest that chlordiazepoxide enhances the positive palatability of tastes selectively while having little or no effect on aversive palatability. The net effect is to make tastes more reinforcing following CDP administration.