Aims: As the nucleus accumbens shell plays an important role in the control of eating behaviour, the aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in: (a) the level of aspartic and glutamic acids in the accumbens shell of conditioned rats after the presentation of an aversive diet containing thiamine-free food; (b) the temperature of interscapular brown adipose tissue, effector of thermogenesis related to food intake.
Methods: The concentration of aspartic and glutamic acids in the accumbens shell, and brown adipose tissue temperature were monitored in conditioned male Sprague-Dawley rats before and after the presentation of thiamine-free food or standard laboratory food. The aspartic and glutamic acids were collected using a microdialysis probe and quantified by HPLC. Food intake was also measured.
Results: The results indicated that an intake of standard laboratory food induced an increase in the level of aspartic and glutamic acids, and an elevation in temperature of brown adipose tissue; whereas an intake of thiamine-free food blocks these increases in the conditioned animals.
Conclusion: The thiamine-free diet modifies the release of excitatory amino acids in the nucleus accumbens of conditioned animals. This diet also affects thermogenesis.