Relevance of the nucleus of the solitary tract, gelatinous part, in learned preferences induced by intragastric nutrient administration

Food preferences have been investigated in Wistar rats utilizing a learned concurrent flavor preference behavioral procedure. Previous studies have demonstrated that the perivagal administration of neurotoxin capsaicin disrupts the learning of preferences induced by intragastric administration of re...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Zafra, María A., Agüera, Antonio, Molina-Valero, Filomena, Puerto, Amadeo
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2017
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Jaén
Repositorio:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
OAI Identifier:oai:ruja.ujaen.es:10953/4493
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.08.004
https://hdl.handle.net/10953/4493
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Concurrent flavor learning
NST dorsomedial region
Predigested rewarding nutrients
Rapid visceral adjustments
Vagus-NST-LPBe axis
159.9
Descripción
Sumario:Food preferences have been investigated in Wistar rats utilizing a learned concurrent flavor preference behavioral procedure. Previous studies have demonstrated that the perivagal administration of neurotoxin capsaicin disrupts the learning of preferences induced by intragastric administration of rewarding nutrients (pre-digested milk). The vagus nerve projects almost exclusively towards the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST), a brain medullary gateway for visceral signals. The objective of this study was to investigate the participation of the lateral portion of the dorsomedial region, the gelatinous subnucleus (SolG), in the learning of a concurrent preference task. Results show that unlike neurologically intact animals, which learn this task correctly, animals lesioned in the gelatinous part of NST manifest a disruption of discrimination learning. Thus, intakes of the flavored stimulus paired with predigested liquid diet and of the flavored stimulus paired with physiological saline were virtually identical. However, SolG- and sham-lesioned groups consumed similar total amounts of both flavors. These findings suggest that SolG, as a relay of the vagus nerve, along with its anatomical projection, the external lateral parabrachial subnucleus (LPBe), may constitute an anatomical axis that is important in the induction of concurrent flavor/side preferences. It also appears to be relevant in other behavioral processes that require rapid processing of information from the upper gastrointestinal tract.