Diazepam-induced eating and lever pressing for food in sated rats.

Abstract

Found in 8 experiments with male Wistar rats that diazepam (2.5 mg/kg) produced vigorous eating but not drinking in sated Ss. The effect was found with familiar food in both test box and home cage and during both day and night. Ss trained under food deprivation leverpressed for food but not water under diazepam; the rate of response was dose dependent. Diazepam motivated learning of leverpressing for food but not as well as did deprivation. Diazepam-induced eating lasted 25-30 min and was terminated by feedback from eating, rather than by catabolism of the drug. Stomach loads of food but not of water inhibited the eating. These data indicate that diazepam has specific actions on hunger or food-satiety mechanisms. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)