Dietary selfselection: Could it be affected by a place preference?

Abstract

Recent research has suggested that self.selection of carbohydrates and proteins in rats may be mediated by serotonin. Since drugs that enhace serotonergíc transntission reduce carbohydrate relee tion sparing pro teins, a naechanism depending on brain seroto¬nin levels has been suggested to control carbohydrate intake. In this study tite seroto¬nergic agonist fenfluratnine wo.s injected to rats offered tite chotee of two diets differing ita their contents of carbohydrates and proteins. Animals selected tite expected amounts of either diet without drug adtninistration and with location of pans interchanged daily. When fenfluramine was injected, tite posi¬tion of pans remained unchanged. A significant decrease in the intahe of the two experi¬mental diets was observed and no pro tein sparing effect wasfound.Results are discussed itt tertns of a developtnent of a positional preference which o bscured tite relee tive effect of fenfluramine.