Figure 7.
Saccharin training induces an increase in synaptic GluA1 similar to sucrose training. Rats were given access to water, 3% saccharin, or 25% sucrose daily (4 rats per group), in a training cage for 5 min per day, whereupon the feeding bottle was removed and the rats were maintained in the cage for 15 additional minutes. This training was performed for 7 consecutive days. A, The mass of Saccharin and Sucrose solution consumed were similar, and both were greater than the mass of Water consumed. B, Western blot analysis of GluA1 and actin (control) in the PSD and whole-cell fractions of the nucleus accumbens core isolated from Water, Saccharin, and Sucrose rats. Relative to Water training, Saccharin and Sucrose training significantly elevated GluA1 levels similarly in the PSD (Fc = 10.6; *p = 0.009, **p < 0.001) (C) but not the whole-cell fractions (D) of the accumbens core. Western blot quantitation of GluA1 was normalized to actin levels.