CRF in the Brain Increases Motivation for Sucrose Rewards
Author Information
Author(s): Peciña Susana, Schulkin Jay, Berridge Kent C
Primary Institution: University of Michigan
Hypothesis
Does a CRF subsystem in nucleus accumbens participate in magnifying the incentive salience of cues previously associated with reward?
Conclusion
CRF in the nucleus accumbens amplifies positive motivation for cued rewards, which may explain why stress can lead to increased binge eating or drug relapse.
Supporting Evidence
- CRF microinjections increased lever pressing in response to reward cues.
- Both CRF and amphetamine produced similar patterns of increased motivation for rewards.
- Rats did not increase lever pressing in the absence of reward cues, indicating cue-specific effects.
Takeaway
When rats were given a brain chemical called CRF, they wanted sugary treats more when they heard a sound that reminded them of the treats.
Methodology
Rats were trained to press levers for sucrose pellets and then given CRF microinjections to assess their lever pressing in response to reward cues.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in interpreting the effects of CRF due to the specific focus on sucrose rewards.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on male rats, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations.
Participant Demographics
Male Sprague Dawley rats, aged 230-260 grams at the start of the experiment.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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