Acquisition and persistence of intermittent access-induced escalated sucrose intake in male rats

•Every 3rd day access induced long-lasting increased 4% sucrose intake in young adult rats.•Change from continuous to intermittent access induced rapid consumption increases.•Change from intermittent to continuous access resulted in slowly decreased intake.•Prior continuous access did not prevent or reduce the intermittency effect.•Older adult rats rapidly developed the intermittency effect.