Psychopharmacology
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Endogenous opioids have been implicated in the hedonic evaluation of food and palatability. Opioids may also be involved in alcohol intake, as there is a positive correlation between alcohol drinking and preference for sweets and fats. Our previous studies have shown that mu opioid stimulation of the nucleus accumbens preferentially augments intake of palatable food containing sucrose and fat. ⋯ These results provide evidence to suggest that the mu opioid system within the ventral striatum regulates ingestive behavior via a mechanism related to the hedonic assessment of taste. In addition, the nucleus accumbens may be a key brain area where ethanol interacts with endogenous opioid systems, and thus may be a common neural substrate for both food palatability and alcohol drinking.