M. Zhang et Ae. Kelley, Enhanced intake of high-fat food following striatal mu-opioid stimulation:Microinjection mapping and Fos expression, NEUROSCIENC, 99(2), 2000, pp. 267-277
Our previous studies have shown that stimulation of mu-opioid receptors wit
hin the nucleus accumbens preferentially enhances intake of palatable food
containing sucrose and fat; thus, opioids in this brain area may mediate th
e rewarding characteristics of food by modulating taste and macronutrient p
reference. The present study was designed to further explore the nature of
the involvement of striatal opioids in feeding behavior, such as the locati
on of sensitive subregions of the ventral striatum and the brain neural cir
cuits involved in opioid-mediated hyperphagia. In Experiment 1, we conducte
d a microinfusion mapping study of feeding behavior by microinfusion of the
mu receptor agonist, D-Ala(2),NMe-Phe(4),Glyol(5)-enkephalin (0, 0.025 and
0.25 mu g/0.5 mu l per side; equivalent to 0, 0.04 and 0.40 nmol/0.5 mu l
per side), into several striatal subregions. In Experiment 2, detection of
the expression of the immediate early gene, c-fos, was used to examine brai
n areas activated following intra-striatal microinfusion of D-Ala(2),NMe-Ph
e(4),Glyol(5)-enkephalin. The microinjection mapping study demonstrated a b
road anatomical gradient within the striatum, with sensitivity highest in r
elatively more lateral and ventral regions of the striatum (ventrolateral s
triatum, lateral shell and core). The Fos mapping study demonstrated that c
ircuitry including hypothalamic areas, the ventral tegmental area, the subs
tantia nigra and the nucleus of the solitary tract was recruited by stimula
tion of mu receptors within the nucleus accumbens. A similar pattern was ob
served following stimulation of mu receptors in the dorsal striatum; howeve
r, the extent of activation was much smaller in magnitude.
These results suggest that the role of mu receptors within the striatum in
palatable feeding primarily involves ventral and lateral regions. Moreover,
the pattern of activation in hypothalamic, midbrain and gustatory-visceral
relay areas suggests that striatal mu receptors may participate in integra
ting motivational, metabolic and autonomic aspects of ingestive behavior. (
C) 2000 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.