Diet--its role in controlling behavior problems.

Feeding a novel food (Fonzies) to rats fed ad libitum with standard food increased extracellular dopamine (DA) in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFCX) and in the medial nucleus accumbens (NAc). Previous Fonzies feeding, although it did not affect the increase of extracellular DA in the PFCX in response to Fonzies feeding, blunted that increase in the NAc (habituation); recovery from habituation in the NAc was complete 5 d after previous Fonzies feeding. Predictive association of an otherwise neutral stimulus extrinsic to Fonzies (empty plastic box) with Fonzies feeding resulted in the acquisition by the stimulus of the property to elicit incentive responses directed toward the stimulus and to increase extracellular DA in the PFCX. However, the same stimulus, or a more complex stimulus including intrinsic stimuli (Fonzies-filled plastic box), failed to acquire the ability to modify extracellular DA in the NAc. Pseudoconditioning, i.e., nonpredictive association of the extrinsic stimulus (empty box) with Fonzies feeding, did not result in acquisition by the stimulus of the property to elicit incentive responses and to increase extracellular DA in the PFCX. Repeated nonreinforced presentation of previously conditioned extrinsic stimuli (empty box) resulted in extinction of the property to elicit incentive responses and to increase extracellular DA in the PFCX. These results indicate that in rats fed ad libitum, phasic activation of mesocortical and mesolimbic DA systems by motivational stimuli is differentially influenced by associative (conditioning) and nonassociative (habituation) learning mechanisms and is differentially related to acquisition and expression of incentive motivation.

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PubMed1997

Clinical evaluation of cats with nonobstructive urinary tract diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the underlying cause of clinical signs in cats with nonobstructive diseases of the bladder and urethra. DESIGN: Prospective case series. SAMPLE POPULATION: 109 cats examined by the urology service of The Ohio State University's veterinary teaching hospital because of stranguria, hematuria, pollakiuria, or urination in inappropriate locations. PROCEDURE: History was obtained and a CBC, serum biochemical analyses, serologic tests for FeLV and feline immunodeficiency virus, urinalysis, bacterial culture of urine, and contrast radiography or urethrocystoscopy (females only) were performed. RESULTS: 16 cats had cystic calculi: 8 had struvite uroliths, 7 had calcium oxalate uroliths, and 1 had a urolith of unknown composition in conjunction with an anatomic defect. Anatomic defects, including diverticulae, urethral strictures, and a malpositioned urethra, were identified in 12 cats. A urinary tract infection was identified in 1 cat, and neoplasia was diagnosed in 2. One of the cats with neoplasia also had a struvite urolith. The remaining 80 cats did not have an anatomic defect, urolith, or tumor. Ten of these cats also did not have radiographic or cystoscopic abnormalities and were presumed to have a behavioral disorder. The remaining 70 cats had radiographic or cystoscopic abnormalities, and idiopathic cystitis was diagnosed. In 14 of the cats with idiopathic cystitis, results of a urinalysis were normal. Cats with idiopathic cystitis were significantly more likely to eat dry food exclusively (59%) than were cats in the general population (19%). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Results suggest that idiopathic cystitis occurs commonly in cats with stranguria, hematuria, pollakiuria, or inappropriate elimination and is associated with consumption of dry foods. Contrast radiography or cystoscopy is necessary for differentiating idiopathic cystitis from behavioral disorders in some cats.

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