Hedonic eating: Sex differences and characterization of orexin activation and signaling.

•Palatable (high-sugar) food consumption was compared in adult, male and female rats under physiological hunger and satiety.•Females consistently consumed similar amounts of palatable food regardless of whether they were sated or hungry.•Males typically adjusted their consumption of palatable food according to their hunger/satiety state.•Fos induction in ORX neurons during palatable feeding tests was systematically characterized in both sexes.•Systemic blockade of ORX receptor 1 signaling decreased palatable food consumption in hungry and sated rats of both sexes.