Immune, hormonal and neural mechanisms of ingestive behavior

摄取行为的免疫、激素和神经机制

• 批准号: 1239-2009
• 负责人: Ossenkopp, KlausPeter
• 金额: $ 2.19万
• 依托单位: University of Western Ontario
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=497227
• 关键词: Immune; hormonal; neural; mechanisms; ingestive

All organisms need to solve the problem of obtaining nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats, and other essential substances) from their environment without eating significant amounts of toxins which are often found in various foods. Many plants (and some animals) protect themselves by producing toxins so that they are less likely to be eaten. Mammals, including humans, have evolved a number of ways (poison avoidance system) to reduce exposure to toxins in the foods eaten. Toxins can be avoided on the basis of taste, post-ingestional effects, and learning. We have been using behavioral responses produced when tastants are infused into the mouth (taste reactivity test), to study this poison avoidance system. We can introduce low levels of a toxin (LiCl) into a food (sucrose solution) or inject the toxin after the animal has eaten a food, and examine changes in the rat's behavior as a result of post-ingestive effects of the toxin. Rats can also be made sick by treating them with a bacteria derived compound (lipopolysaccharide) which produces a syndrome of sickness behaviors (reduced interest in eating, drinking, and increased lethargy). We are studying the effects of bacterial infection on the sensitivity of the poison avoidance system. We have some evidence to suggest that bacterial infection sensitizes the toxin avoidance system, or can block food related learning. We are interested in the brain system(s) that control these processes. We are also interested in the effects of exposure to stress on this process of activating and sensitizing the toxin avoidance system. Many patients that are sick because of immune system activation, such as during bacterial or viral infections, are exposed to toxic chemotherapy treatments for other problems (cancer, AIDS) and their eating behaviors may be compromised leading to lower success for the treatments. This research should provide important information to help with this problem.

所有生物体都需要解决从环境中获取营养素（蛋白质，碳水化合物，脂肪和其他必需物质）的问题，而不会摄入大量的毒素，这些毒素通常存在于各种食物中。许多植物（和一些动物）通过产生毒素来保护自己，这样它们就不太可能被吃掉。包括人类在内的哺乳动物已经进化出许多方法（避毒系统）来减少食物中毒素的暴露。毒素可以根据味道、摄入后的影响和学习来避免。我们一直在使用促味剂注入口腔时产生的行为反应（味觉反应测试）来研究这种避毒系统。我们可以将低水平的毒素（LiCl）引入食物（蔗糖溶液）中，或者在动物进食食物后注射毒素，并检查毒素摄入后对大鼠行为的影响。也可以通过用细菌衍生化合物（脂多糖）治疗大鼠使其生病，所述细菌衍生化合物（脂多糖）产生疾病行为综合征（对进食、饮水的兴趣降低和嗜睡增加）。我们正在研究细菌感染对避毒系统敏感性的影响。我们有一些证据表明，细菌感染使毒素回避系统敏感，或者可以阻止食物相关的学习。我们对控制这些过程的大脑系统感兴趣。我们也对暴露于压力对激活和敏化毒素回避系统的过程的影响感兴趣。许多因免疫系统激活而生病的患者，例如在细菌或病毒感染期间，因其他问题（癌症，艾滋病）而暴露于毒性化疗治疗，他们的饮食行为可能会受到影响，导致治疗成功率较低。这项研究应该提供重要的信息，以帮助解决这个问题。