FIGURE 5.

Restricting access to sucrose consumption results in an absence of increased weight gain with no emotional and cognitive alterations. (A) Mice exhibit stable levels of long-term sucrose intake of 20.9 ± 0.3 g/kg indicated by the red line. This level of sucrose intake is four-fold lower than when sucrose access was unrestricted (B) and was not associated with any changes in weight gain (C), or anxiety-related behavior as seen by no change in the number of entries in the open-arm of the EPM (D), the number of marbles buried (E) and the number of entries in the center in the open field (F) compared to water controls. Restricting long-term sucrose consumption did not induce depressive-like symptoms as seen by no differences in the immobility time in the forced swimming test (G) compared to water controls. Restricted sucrose consumption increases the total distances traveled in the open field (H), the speed in the center (I) and total speed (J) in the open-field, however, there was no change in the latency to feed (K), the time spent with a novel object (L) and the latency to reach the zone where the platform was previously placed (M), compared to water controls. Data are presented as mean ± SEM; n = 8 mice/group. ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001.