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Cholecystokinin attenuates incentive learning in rats
B Balleine1, A Davies, A Dickinson
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, England.
Behavioral Neuroscience
|April 1, 1995
Summary
Endogenous cholecystokinin (CCK) reduces the incentive value of food. This effect is modulated by serotonin pathways, indicating a complex interaction in regulating food motivation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Endogenous cholecystokinin (CCK) is a gut hormone involved in satiety and digestion.
- The role of CCK in modulating the motivational aspects of food seeking remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that endogenous CCK diminishes the incentive value of food.
- To explore the interaction between CCK and serotonin pathways in regulating food motivation.
Main Methods:
- Rats were trained on two distinct operant tasks (lever pressing and chain pulling) reinforced with different food rewards.
- Following deprivation, animals were re-exposed to one of the outcomes after CCK-8 or vehicle injection.
- Behavioral choices between tasks were assessed in an extinction test under CCK or vehicle conditions.
- The effect of a 5-hydroxytryptamine1A (5-HT1A) agonist on CCK-induced behavioral changes was examined.
Main Results:
- Rats consistently performed fewer actions associated with the food outcome that had been re-exposed under CCK, regardless of whether tested under CCK or vehicle.
- This CCK-induced reduction in action performance was attenuated when a 5-HT1A agonist was co-administered during re-exposure.
Conclusions:
- Endogenous CCK administration reduces the incentive value attributed to food rewards.
- CCK's modulation of food incentive value appears to involve an interaction with the 5-HT1A system.