Dopamine D2 receptor overexpression in the nucleus accumbens core induces robust weight loss during scheduled fasting selectively in female mice.

ABSTRACT: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder observed predominantly in women and girls that is characterized by a low body-mass index, hypophagia, and hyperactivity. Activity-based anorexia (ABA), which refers to the weight loss, hypophagia, and hyperactivity exhibited by rodents exposed to both running wheels and scheduled fasting, provides a model for aspects of AN. Increased dopamine D2/D3 receptor binding in the anteroventral striatum has been reported in AN patients. We virally overexpressed D2Rs on nucleus accumbens core (D2R-OE_NAc) neurons that endogenously express D2Rs, and tested mice of both sexes in the open field test, ABA paradigm, and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IGTT). D2R-OE_NAc did not alter baseline body weight, but increased locomotor activ

SUBMITTER: Welch AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7305037 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature