Noradrenergic Neuromodulation of Septal Circuitry Mediating Hoarding Behaviour in Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

Background: Ingestive appetitive behaviour has been less delved into in research. Considering the connection of food hoarding with energy balance, unperplexing its exact neurophysiological mechanism will help in combating obesity. With evidence of noradrenaline as a neuromodulator in the septum, it may act on the septal circuitry to influence hoarding behaviour. Aim and Objectives: To evaluate the role of noradrenaline as a septal neuromodulator in the hoarding behaviour of laboratory rats. Material and Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (n=20) were employed in this study. Using stereotaxic techniques, noradrenaline was injected in the septum of the experimental group (n=10), and 0.9% normal saline was injected in the septum of the control group (n=10). Hoarding scores before and after injecting the chemicals were recorded. Results: It was found that noradrenaline significantly decreased (p < 0.01) the food hoarding scores (7.75 ± 3.95) as compared to baseline hoarding scores (24.12 ± 10.69). The control group did not show any significant change when the hoarding scores were compared before and after the injection of 0.9% normal saline. Conclusion: Intraseptal noradrenaline modulates septal network activity with inhibitory effect on hoarding behaviour.

Keywords

• noradrenaline
• appetitive ingestive behaviour
• obesity
• septal region