AUGMENTATION OF DIETARY-FAT PREFERENCE BY CHRONIC, BUT NOT ACUTE, HYPERCORTICOSTERONEMIA

Numerous studies have documented a role for corticosterone in appetiti ve behavior, including caloric intake and dietary fat preference. In t he present study, we have examined the mechanism(s) underlying modulat ion of dietary fat preference by corticosterone. The results of these studies show a) an increased fat preference with increased basal urina ry output, or decreased stimulation of corticosterone output on fastin g, b) elevation of fat preference following chronic, but not acute, hy percorticosteronemia produced by exogenous corticosterone administrati on, and c) emergence of hypercorticosteronemia prior to the developmen t of increased fat preference in developing rats, These observations h ave led us to suggest that increased fat preference after chronic hype rcorticosteronemia may be secondary to changes in the levels or action s of agents known to affect fat intake.