Abstract:
Environmental enrichment (EE) for rodents is generally defined as providing subjects with an environment enhanced with access to conspecifics, novel and tactile stimuli, and in many preparations, more space. EE exposure, in particular as an \"intervention\" in adult rodents, decreases food and drug seeking and taking. This review focuses on the reduction of sucrose seeking and taking in rats assessed in operant-based procedures. The operant-based model provides a means to evaluate addiction-related behaviors. Findings using the model might translate to clinically-relevant addiction behaviors directed towards both drugs and food. Both overnight (acute) and one month (chronic) EE effects on behavior are described, including a recent evaluation of the persistence of EE effects following its removal. EE effects on neurobiology related to sucrose seeking using the model are outlined, with a special emphasis on meso-cortico-limbic terminals. Overall, our working hypothesis for how EE reduces sucrose seeking and taking is that EE alters processing of incentive valence. This may also be accompanied by changes in learning and affect. Anti-seeking and anti-taking effects of EE have translational implications for the prevention and treatment of both drug addiction and food-focused behaviors (\"food addiction\").
摘要:
啮齿动物的环境富集(EE)通常被定义为为受试者提供可获得特定物种的环境。新奇和触觉刺激,在许多准备工作中,更多空间EE暴露,特别是作为成年啮齿动物的“干预”,减少食物和药物的寻找和服用。这篇综述的重点是在基于操作的程序中评估的大鼠中减少蔗糖的寻找和摄取。基于操作的模型提供了一种评估成瘾相关行为的方法。使用该模型的发现可能会转化为针对药物和食物的临床相关成瘾行为。描述了过夜(急性)和一个月(慢性)EE对行为的影响,包括最近对EE效应去除后的持久性的评估。概述了使用该模型寻找蔗糖对神经生物学的影响,特别强调中皮层边缘末端。总的来说,我们关于EE如何减少蔗糖寻求和摄取的工作假设是EE改变了激励价的处理。这也可能伴随着学习和影响的变化。EE的反寻求和反服用作用对预防和治疗药物成瘾和以食物为中心的行为(“食物成瘾”)具有转化意义。