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Abstract: Food deprivation-induced food-hoarding in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) shows a bimodal pattern. Although our previous study implicated the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) in the brain in food hoarding, little is known about how DA is involved in this behavior. Here we tested the effects of the DA receptor antagonist haloperidol or the agonist apomorphine on food-hoarding and neuronal activation indicated by Fos-immunoreactive (ir) labeling in food-deprived male Mongolian gerbils. Males received i.p. injections of haloperidol (1 mg/kg) or apomorphine (0.3 mg/kg). Haloperidol treatment inhibited food deprivation-induced increases in food-hoarding in male gerbils displaying high levels of food-hoarding (HFH). In contrast, apomorphine stimulated this behavior in males displaying low levels of food hoarding (LFH). Furthermore, haloperidol significantly increased Fos-ir labeling in the caudate putamen (CP) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc), but decreased Fos-ir and TH-ir/Fos-ir expression in the substantia nigra (SN). Conversely, apomorphine decreased Fos-ir labeling in the CP and NAcc. Together, these data indicate that the mesolimbic dopamine system is involved in mediating food-hoarding behavior induced by food deprivation.

Key words: Mongolian gerbils food hoarding, Dopamine, Haloperidol, apomorphine, NAcc, CP