Chlordiazepoxide-induced selection of saccharin-flavoured food in the food-deprived rat.

Following a period of food-deprivation, adult male rats were given a choice between three sources of food in a 15 min test. All three consisted of a mash of powdered food and water; saccharin and quinine were added to two of them, respectively. Chlordiazepoxide (5 and 10 mg/kg, IP) significantly reduced the latency to begin eating, and also increased the overall level of food consumption. Its hyperphagic effect was due to a selective increase in ingestion of the saccharin-flavoured food, and was not due to a general increase in food consumption across all three food sources. Analysis of the micro-structure of feeding indicated that the increase in food intake depended upon an increase in the duration of individual bouts. Other feeding parameters were not significantly affected by chlordiazepoxide. These data suggest the CDP treatments affect feeding behaviour selectively, both in relation to the taste characteristics of the food, and also with regard to alterations in the micro-structure of the feeding responses.