Behavioral Satiety Sequence

Typically rats given access to food will display a sequence of behaviors as they feed to satiation, i.e., feed>active/groom>rest. This provides the means to study effect of an NCE on this behavioral sequence to measure specificity of any anorectic effect.

Validation Data: Effect of lorcaserin (Belviq) on the behavioral satiety sequence
Bar chart of the behavioral satiety sequence with lorcaserin 1 mg/kg: feeding and activity dominate the first 15-20 minutes, then inactive behavior, with minimal effect versus vehicle

Effect of lorcaserin (1 mg/kg) on the behavioral satiety sequence measured during the palatability-induced feeding experiment. Note in the vehicle controls and lorcaserin (1 mg/kg) groups, the predominant behaviors are feeding and active/grooming over the first 15-20min, before ‘inactive’ predominates from 20-25 min onwards. At this dose, lorcaserin is therefore reducing food intake with minimal effect on the behavioral satiety sequence. Data modified from: Higgins et al (2012) Neuropsychopharmacology 37: 1177-1191.