The Effect of Oxytocin on Food Intake in the Nucleus Accumbens Core

Abstract

Objective: In this experiment, we mainly investigated whether oxytocin (OT) acts on the Nucleus Accumbens Core (NAc) to regulate the feeding behavior of rats. Methods: Immunohistochemical experiment was used to observe the expression of OT receptor in NAc; To observe the effect of direct injection of OT in NAc on hunger-and palatability-driven food intake; c-Fos expression can be used as a marker of neuronal activation. After the NAc injection ofOT, the expression of c-fos in the hypothalamus was observed. Results: Studies found that the NAc injection of OT significantly reduced fasting-induced food intake and reduced intake of maltose and dextrin in non-fasted rats. Administration of the OTR antagonist L-368899 within NAc completely blocked these effects induced by OT. The results showed that intra-NAc injection of OT significantly activated NAc, as well as the other two brain regions associated with feeding: hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus. Conclusion: Injection of OT within NAc significantly attenuated starvation and reward-induced feeding behavior.