Celebration of Scholars
P60 - Neurobehavioral plasticity in the rodent gustatory system induced by regular consumption of a low-calorie sweetener during adolescence
Name:
Bo Anderson
Major: Neuroscience
Hometown: Clarkston, MI
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Terrill
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Independent research
Abstract
Consumption of a low-calorie sweetener (LCS) as opposed to natural sugars during an early developmental stage can lead to increased consumption of sugary foods later in life. Rats which were exposed to the LCS Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) during juvenile adolescence showed increased consumption of fructose in a state of caloric need, and increased tolerance of a bitterant (quinine) in middle-age. Additionally, a variety of changes were observed in the peripheral taste system of rats that were exposed to Ace-K, including a decrease in the expression of genes involved in sweet reception, intracellular signaling, fructose transport, and cell growth in the circumvallate papillae. Here, we investigated if consumption of Ace-K during adolescent development would affect the dopaminergic pathways involved in the reward system of rats, specifically in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra pars-compacta (SNpc). The data was visualized through immunohistochemistry on brain slices from a total of 13 rats (Control n = 7, 4 males, 3 females; Ace-K n = 6, 3 males, 3 females) using Tyrosine Hydroxylase antibodies, and fluorescent microscopy imaging of dopamine neurons in these areas. Cells were counted using ImageJ (with blindness to experimental group assignment) to quantify the data and revealed a significant decrease in dopaminergic cell bodies in the VTA of rats that were exposed to Ace-K during juvenile adolescence in comparison to rats that were not exposed to LCS during development. Not only does consumption of LCS in early life elicit behavioral changes and alterations to the peripheral taste system, but it also has a lasting negative effect on reward system pathways and the presence of dopaminergic cells in the VTA.Submit date: March 15, 2025, 8:53 p.m.