Effects of Saccharin Consumption on Operant Responding for Sugar Reward and Incubation of Sugar Craving in Rats.

Kenjiro Aoyama,Akane Nagano

doi:10.3390/foods9121823

Abstract

Repeated experience with artificial sweeteners increases food consumption and body weight gain in rats. Saccharin consumption may reduce the conditioned satiety response to sweet-tasting food. Rats were trained to press a lever to obtain sucrose for five days. A compound cue (tone + light) was presented with every sucrose delivery. On the following day, each lever press produced only the compound cue (cue-reactivity test). Subjects were then provided with yogurt for three weeks in their home cages. The rats were divided into two groups. Rats in the saccharin group received yogurt sweetened with saccharin on some days and unsweetened yogurt on others. For the plain group, only unsweetened plain yogurt was provided. Subsequently, the cue-reactivity test was conducted again. On the following day, the rats underwent a consumption test in which each lever press was reinforced with sucrose. Chow consumption and body weight gain were larger in the saccharin group than in the plain group. Lever responses increased from the first to the second cue-reactivity tests (incubation of craving) in both groups. During the consumption test, lever responses were higher in the saccharin group than in the plain group, suggesting that the conditioned satiety response was impaired in the saccharin group.

Highlights

As shown in the present study, chow intake and body weight gain were higher in the SAC group than in the PLA group
The number of lever responses for sugar pellets was larger in the SAC group than in the PLA group
Within-session decreases in operant responding were slower in the SAC group than in the PLA group

Summary

Introduction

Non-caloric, artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, or acesulfame potassium are frequently used in a wide variety of foods and drinks. People choose these artificial sweeteners to reduce their body weight. A paradoxical relationship between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and body weight has been shown in pioneering experimental studies conducted by investigators at Purdue University. They demonstrated that these sweeteners could cause various health problems, such as overeating and excessive weight gain, in rats [1,2,3]. Other research groups have replicated and extended these results [4,5,6,7,8]

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion