The Behavioral Effects of Temporary Inactivation of the Lateral Habenula on Free Feeding

Overconsumption, or eating beyond the point of homeostasis, is a key feature in the development of obesity. Although people are consuming beyond the point of homeostasis, they are not consuming constantly or indefinitely. Thus, there is likely a mechanism that acts to terminate periods of food intake at some point beyond satiation and prior to aversion, or the negative effects of extreme excess (nausea, bloating, etc.). The purpose of the present study was to assess the lateral habenula as a candidate region, due to its connectivity to midbrain reward circuitry, sensitivity to metabolic signaling, and pronounced role in drug-related motivated behaviors. Here I report that inactivation of the LHb attenuated feeding of deprived animals on a sweetened-fat diet, though impacted neither sated animals nor animals consuming a standard chow diet. However, inactivation did produce a consistent increase in locomotor activity across all conditions and in both experimental groups. Furthermore, mu-opioid stimulation increased feeding on standard chow, but decreased intake of the sweetened-fat diet. Taken together, these results suggest an important, if nuanced role, for the LHb in motivated behavior.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Carlson, Hannah Nicole

• baclofen-muscimol

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/90696

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/90696