Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescence
Abstract Habitual consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) during juvenile-adolescence can lead to greater sugar intake later in life. Here, we investigated if exposure to the LCS Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) during this critical period of development reprograms the taste system in a way that wou...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84391-3 |
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| author | Clare M. Mathes Sarah J. Terrill Juan P. Taborda-Bejarano Sandrine Chometton Mallory J. Witt Gaurikka Mendiratta Emily G. Gilman Delenn R. Hartswick Bo M. Anderson Lindsey A. Schier |
| author_facet | Clare M. Mathes Sarah J. Terrill Juan P. Taborda-Bejarano Sandrine Chometton Mallory J. Witt Gaurikka Mendiratta Emily G. Gilman Delenn R. Hartswick Bo M. Anderson Lindsey A. Schier |
| author_sort | Clare M. Mathes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Habitual consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) during juvenile-adolescence can lead to greater sugar intake later in life. Here, we investigated if exposure to the LCS Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) during this critical period of development reprograms the taste system in a way that would alter hedonic responding for common dietary compounds. Results revealed that early-life LCS intake not only enhanced the avidity for a caloric sugar (fructose) when rats were in a state of caloric need, it increased acceptance of a bitterant (quinine) in Ace-K-exposed rats tested when middle-aged. These behavior shifts, which endured months after the end of Ace-K exposure, were accompanied by widespread changes in the peripheral taste system. The anterior tongue had fewer fungiform taste papillae, and the circumvallate papillae had a reduced anterior to posterior span and diminished expression of genes involved in sweet reception, sweet and bitter intracellular signaling, fructose transport, and cellular progeneration in the Ace-K-exposed rats. Ace-K exposure also led to a significant reduction in dopamine-producing cells of the ventral tegmental area. The collective findings reveal that LCS intake early in life alters the taste-brain axis and the behavioral responsiveness to both positive and negative tastants that are important determinants of dietary preferences. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-44afb96eec214f3186b4c7ef11a46fe5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| spelling | doaj-art-44afb96eec214f3186b4c7ef11a46fe52025-01-19T12:18:07ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111110.1038/s41598-024-84391-3Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescenceClare M. Mathes0Sarah J. Terrill1Juan P. Taborda-Bejarano2Sandrine Chometton3Mallory J. Witt4Gaurikka Mendiratta5Emily G. Gilman6Delenn R. Hartswick7Bo M. Anderson8Lindsey A. Schier9Department of Neuroscience, Baldwin Wallace UniversityDepartment of Neuroscience, Carthage CollegeDepartment of Neuroscience, Baldwin Wallace UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Southern CaliforniaDepartment of Neuroscience, Baldwin Wallace UniversityDepartment of Neuroscience, Baldwin Wallace UniversityDepartment of Neuroscience, Baldwin Wallace UniversityDepartment of Neuroscience, Baldwin Wallace UniversityDepartment of Neuroscience, Carthage CollegeDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Southern CaliforniaAbstract Habitual consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) during juvenile-adolescence can lead to greater sugar intake later in life. Here, we investigated if exposure to the LCS Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) during this critical period of development reprograms the taste system in a way that would alter hedonic responding for common dietary compounds. Results revealed that early-life LCS intake not only enhanced the avidity for a caloric sugar (fructose) when rats were in a state of caloric need, it increased acceptance of a bitterant (quinine) in Ace-K-exposed rats tested when middle-aged. These behavior shifts, which endured months after the end of Ace-K exposure, were accompanied by widespread changes in the peripheral taste system. The anterior tongue had fewer fungiform taste papillae, and the circumvallate papillae had a reduced anterior to posterior span and diminished expression of genes involved in sweet reception, sweet and bitter intracellular signaling, fructose transport, and cellular progeneration in the Ace-K-exposed rats. Ace-K exposure also led to a significant reduction in dopamine-producing cells of the ventral tegmental area. The collective findings reveal that LCS intake early in life alters the taste-brain axis and the behavioral responsiveness to both positive and negative tastants that are important determinants of dietary preferences.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84391-3 |
| spellingShingle | Clare M. Mathes Sarah J. Terrill Juan P. Taborda-Bejarano Sandrine Chometton Mallory J. Witt Gaurikka Mendiratta Emily G. Gilman Delenn R. Hartswick Bo M. Anderson Lindsey A. Schier Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescence Scientific Reports |
| title | Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescence |
| title_full | Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescence |
| title_fullStr | Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescence |
| title_short | Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescence |
| title_sort | neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low calorie sweetener during adolescence |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84391-3 |
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