In this study, the authors examined the reward value of sweeteners in mice by assessing the animals' preferences for sweeteners compared to lick-induced optogenetic activation of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. They found that mice preferred optogenetic stimulation to the artificial sweetener sucralose, but not to sucrose. Interestingly, following a period of food restriction, the reward value of sucrose increased, whereas after administration of leptin it decreased. These results highlight the post-ingestive effects of fat metabolism on nutrient preference.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Domingos, A. I. et al. Leptin regulates the reward value of nutrient. Nature Neurosci. 14, 1562–1568 (2011)
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Flight, M. Curbing sweet cravings. Nat Rev Neurosci 13, 2 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3161
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3161