Victor Ikezawa
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Emily Jutkiewicz
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Pharmacology / Medicine
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 3 – 1:40pm – 2:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Victor Ikezawa, Stephen Robertson, Emily Jutkiewicz
Presenter: 18
Abstract
Approximately 43% of adults in the United States are obese. Recent research has indicated that high expression of Regulator of G Protein Signaling 4 protein (RGS4) are correlated with obesity. RGS4 is an enzyme that decreases the activity of G-protein signaling and may be linked to food motivation. In the current study, we used a behavioral economic demand procedure to examine the extent to which the RGS4 protein influences motivation for food. To assess food motivation, we will examine the responses emitted and the number of food rewards earned across increasing effort requirements in mice that were genetically manipulated to lack RGS4 or wild-type Littermate controls. We hypothesize that mice with the RGS4 protein knockout should be more sensitive to increases in effort requirements relative to controls. Initially, we trained mice to make a single response on a nose poke response to gain 10-second access to a dipper of vanilla-flavored Ensure®. After mice had at least 3 days in which they earned 20 reinforcers, we increased the effort requirements. Effort requirements were manipulated by changing the Fixed Ratio (FR) requirement, which means the animals needed to make a set number of responses for single access to the dipper. We started with FR5 and increased to FR10, FR20, FR40, FR80, and FR160. Each session ended following 20 reinforcer deliveries or 30 minutes, whichever happened first. The primary measures were responses emitted and reinforcers earned under each FR schedule. The extent to which mice lacking RGS4 show lower levels of responding and reinforcers earned as the FR increases will be interpreted as lower levels of food motivation. Understanding the link between RGS4 protein and food motivation will characterize neurobiological factors that underlie obesity and potentially inform novel treatment strategies.
Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary, Natural/Life Sciences
