Naloxone decreases consumption of liquid and solid sucrose in vagotomized rats

Intraperitoneal injections of the opiate antagonist naloxone decreased food intake in both vagotomized and sham-vagotomized rats. Consumption of liquid and solid sucrose, which were used in order to equate baseline intake, was equally suppressed in both groups under food-deprivation and appetitively-motivated conditions at all doses of naloxone (1, 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg). It is concluded that, in contrast to previous findings, the vagus nerve does not mediate the suppressive effects of naloxone on feeding behavior.