Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36219247›Full record

ArticlePsychopharmacology2022

Food for thought: diet-induced impairments to decision-making and amelioration by N-acetylcysteine in male rats.

Serena Becchi, Joshua Hood, Michael D Kendig, Aida Mohammadkhani, Megan L Shipman, Bernard W Balleine, Stephanie L Borgland, Laura H Corbit

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Psychopharmacology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Adolescent obesity induces sex-specific alterations of action control.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
  2. Dorsomedial striatal neuroinflammation causes excessive goal-directed action control by disrupting astrocyte function.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Habit and persistence.Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior · 2024
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Serena BecchiSchool of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
Joshua HoodDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
Michael D KendigDepartment of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada.
Aida MohammadkhaniSchool of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Megan L ShipmanDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
Bernard W BalleineSchool of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
Stephanie L BorglandSchool of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Laura H CorbitSchool of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia. laura.corbit@utoronto.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8356-0999

Funding

Canada Research Chairs 950-232211CIHR 147473CIHR 401526
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleAttempts to lose weight often fail despite knowledge of the health risks associated with obesity and determined efforts. We previously showed that rodents fed an obesogenic diet displayed premature habitual behavioural control and weakened flexible decision-making based on the current value of outcomes produced by their behaviour. Thus, habitual control may contribute to failed attempts to modify eating behaviours.

objectivesTo examine the effects of an obesogenic diet on behavioural control and glutamate transmission in dorsal striatum regions and to assess the ability of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) to reverse deficits.

methodsHere, we examined diet-induced changes to decision-making and used in vitro electrophysiology to investigate the effects of diet on glutamate transmission within the dorsomedial (DMS) and dorsolateral (DLS) striatum, areas that control goal-directed and habitual behaviours, respectively. We administered NAC in order to normalize glutamate release and tested whether this would restore goal-directed performance following an obesogenic diet.

resultsWe found that an obesogenic diet reduced sensitivity to outcome devaluation and increased glutamate release in the DMS, but not DLS. Administration of NAC restored goal-directed control and normalized mEPSCs in the DMS. Finally, NAC administered directly to the DMS was sufficient to reinstate sensitivity to outcome devaluation following an obesogenic diet.

conclusionsThese data indicate that obesogenic diets alter neural activity in the basal ganglia circuit responsible for goal-directed learning and control which leads to premature habitual control. While the effects of diet are numerous and widespread, normalization of glutamatergic activity in this circuit is sufficient for restoring goal-directed behaviour.

Indexed as

AcetylcysteineCorpus StriatumAnimalsDietGlutamic AcidLearningMaleRatsAcetylcysteineGlutamic AcidDecision-makingDiet-induced obesityDorsomedial striatumGlutamateGoal-directed behaviourOutcome devaluation

Identifiers

PMID36219247

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.