Dopamine and learned food preferences

An early study performed in Bart Hoebel's laboratory suggested that dopamine (DA) signaling in the nucleus accumbens was involved in learned flavor preferences produced by post-oral nutritive feedback. This paper summarizes our studies investigating the role of DA in flavor preference conditioning using selective DA receptor antagonists. Food-restricted rats were trained to prefer a flavored saccharin solution (CS+) paired with intragastric (IG) sugar infusions over a flavored saccharin solution (CS−) paired with water infusions. Systemic injections of a D1-like receptor antagonist (SCH23390), but not a D2-like receptor antagonist (raclopride) during training blocked flavor preference learning. Neither drug prevented the expression of an already learned preference except at high doses that greatly suppressed total intakes. Central sites of action were examined by local microinjections of SCH23390 (12 nmol) during flavor training or testing. Drug infusions in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, or lateral hypothalamus during training blocked or attenuated CS+ flavor conditioning by IG glucose infusions. The same drug dose did not suppress the expression of a learned CS+ preference. The findings suggest that DA signaling within different components of a distributed brain network is involved in sugar-based flavor preferences. A possible role of DA in conditioned increases in flavor acceptance is discussed.

Research Highlights
► Flavor preferences are conditioned by intragastric sugar infusions.
► Systemic dopamine D1, but not D2 receptor antagonism blocks preference conditioning.
► Preference learning is attenuated by D1 antagonism in NAc, amygdala, mPFC and LH.
► Expression of an already learned preference is not blocked by D1 receptor antagonism.