Qualitative analysis of feeding behaviour through dietary selection of nutrients.

Studies of brain mechanisms controlling food intake and feeding behaviour have often neglected interactions between total food (energy) intake and qualitative aspects of the dietary intake. Generally, experimental animals are presented with a single diet of fixed nutritional composition. Thus, if as a result of a given treatment, an animal has an increased or decreased appetite for a specific nutrient, then this could manifest itself as an increase or decrease in intake from the sole diet offered. As selection of food is a characteristic behaviour of all animals, and their ability to monitor intake of specific nutrients is well known, then, giving experimental animals a choice of dietary constituents could result in a wider understanding of central mechanisms governing food intake. Exploiting the ability of rats to select dietary protein and carbohydrate has suggested that brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is involved in the regulation of protein/carbohydrate intake. Evidence from human studies suggests that appetite disturbances which occur in obese and mood-disturbed individuals may be linked to an impaired functioning of the brain 5-HT system.