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Central Effects of Neuropeptide K on Water and Food Intake in the Rat

Authors :
Carlo Polidori
Maurizio Massi
M. Achapu
Pierluigi Pompei
G. de Caro
Source :
Brain Research Bulletin. 28:299-303
Publication Year :
1992
Publisher :
Elsevier BV, 1992.

Abstract

The present study investigated the effect on water and food intake in the rat of the intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of neuropeptide K (NPK), the N-terminally extended form of neurokinin A. NPK inhibited water deprivation-induced water intake even at 31.2 ng/rat. At higher doses, it inhibited also water intake induced by ICV angiotensin II or by subcutaneous hypertonic NaCl, and food-associated drinking, the threshold dose being 125 ng/rat. In response to 125 ng/rat, food intake following 16 h food deprivation was not reduced. NPK inhibited food intake only at 500 ng/rat, a dose that evoked excessive grooming in treated animals. Thus NPK is a potent inhibitor of water deprivation-induced drinking and at higher doses it exerts a general antidipsogenic effect towards several dipsogenic determinants, without affecting food intake. On the other hand, it inhibits food intake only at high doses, 500 ng/rat or more, but this inhibition might be just related to the intense grooming evoked. The effects of NPK on ingestive behavior are markedly different from those of neurokinin A, which selectively inhibits osmotic drinking and food-associated drinking. These differences suggest that NPK itself may exert its effects on the central nervous system, not necessarily through the conversion to neurokinin A.

Details

ISSN :
03619230
Volume :
28
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Brain Research Bulletin
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....677b395e40c4951ea56524a34e9c7494
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-9230(92)90191-y