Development of nutritional control of food intake in suckling rat pups

Abstract

The initiation of suckling (nipple approach and attachment) was not affected by gastric preloads in 10- and 20-day-old rat pups tested with their anesthetized mother. However, food intake was affected. In 10-day-old pups nutritive and nonnutritive loads depressed diet intake during suckling by the same amount and apparently as a result of severe gastric distension. In contrast, the diet intake of 20-day-old pups was differentially depressed by nutrivive preloads, suggesting an emerging postgastric or postabsorptive control of ingestive behavior.