FOOD PALATABILITY AND HUNGER MODULATED EFFECTS OF CGS-9896 AND CGS-8216 ON FOOD-INTAKE

The effect of food palatability and duration of food deprivation on th e modulation of food intake by two benzodiazepine receptor (BDZR) liga nds, CGS 9896 and CGS 8216, were investigated. Three diets differing i n palatability (high, medium, or standard) and three different periods of food deprivation (0, 16, or 24 h) were used in all combinations to compare the effect of these variations on the observed modulation of food consumption by both BDZR ligands. Increasing diet palatability an d/or food deprivation increased the baseline food consumption and redu ced the sensitivity of the test to the detection of the hyperphagic ef fect of CGS 9896 but increased the sensitivity to detect the anorexic effect of CGS 8216. Only for the intermediate conditions of food depri vation (16 h) and for a standard or medium palatable diet were both si gnificant hyperphagic effect of CGS 9896 and anorexic effect of CGS 82 16 detected. Neither increased palatability nor hunger enhanced the mo dulation of feeding, indicating that neither ''taste preference'' nor ''hunger'' is the key factor in the mechanism of BDZR ligand-induced f eeding response.