Extended Data Figure 1: Glucose and MDG Preference.
a, When mice are given a choice between 600 mM glucose or 600 mM MDG, using a brief-access (1 hour) test, naive animals display a small preference for glucose over MDG (n = 5, two-tailed paired t-test, p = 0.0406), likely because MDG is slightly less sweet and thus not as attractive. Values are mean ± s.e.m. b-c, Although the non-caloric sugar analogue MDG is very effective in causing a preference switch (see Fig. 1), it does not cause increases in plasma glucose or release of insulin. Mice were gavaged with glucose or MDG, and plasma glucose and insulin levels were sampled before (“Pre”), and at 15 min after the gavage (“Post”). Panel b, plasma glucose after glucose gavage (red bars), n = 7, two-tailed paired t-test, p = 4 × 10−5. Plasma glucose after MDG gavage (blue bars), n = 6, two-tailed paired t-test, p = 0.36. Panel c, plasma insulin levels after glucose gavage (red bars), n = 7, two-tailed paired t-test, p = 7 × 10−6. Plasma insulin levels after MDG gavage (blue), n = 6, two-tailed paired t-test, p = 0.94. Values are mean ± s.e.m.