196 ABSTRACTS

levels known to produce gastric secretion (37.5,75, 150,30Opg/kg), and water intake during the
subsequent hour was measured. Pentagastrin did not alter water intake.

Oxitocin Inhibits Food and Fluid intake. R. ARLETTI, A. BENELLI and

A. BE RTO LI N I. Institute of Pharmacology, University of Modena, Italy.

Increasing evidence indicates that oxitocin (OT) has neuromodulatory effects on different
CNS activities. The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, which is a major source of OT,
is involved in feeding behaviour. Here we present evidence that OT inhibits food and fluid intake,
in rats, either after intraperitoneal (ip.) or intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration. Feeding
inhibition was dose-dependent both in normally-fed and in fasting rats, and was antagonized by
the OT antagonist d(CH,),Tyr(Me)-[Ornlavasotocin. Drinking inhibition was dose-dependent
both in normally-drinking rats and in three different models of thirst-induction (water-
deprivation, NaCl, A II).

Role of Central Cholinergic Parameters in Hydromineral Homeostasis in

Mice. G. AYAD, M. ZOUAMBIA and A. EBEL. Inst. Sci. Nat., U.S.T.H.B., Algiers, Algeria
and Cent. Neurochem., C. N. R.S., Strasbourg, France.

For up to 6 days progressive water deprivation (WD) was used as a natural thirst stimulus in
NMRI mice. A very significant increase in choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) was observed at the
hypothalamic level after 4 and 6 days WD. On the other hand, a net decrease of ChAT was
observed at the level of(i) the hippocampus after 6 days WD; (ii) the fronto-parietal cortex after 4
and 6 days WD. A decrease in sodium dependent high affinity choline uptake (SDHACU) in the
hypothalamus after 2 days WD, and in the hippocampus after 2 and 4 days WD. In the
hippocampus a significant increase of muscarinic receptor binding sites was noted after 2 days
WD.

Preferences Between Side-by-Side Flavours Reinforced by Delayed

Nutritional Differences. B. J. BAKER and D. A. BOOTH. School of Psychology,
University of Birmingham, U.K.

Rats were conditioned by nutrient differences between two diets to prefer the flavour of the
richer diet. Such learning occurred with a 10min delay between presentation of both dietary
stimuli and intubation of the nutrient mixture proportional to flavour intakes. Thus, rats are able
to distinguish between the nutritional aftereffects of two distinctive diets presented concurrently.
Also, reinforcement that has been suggested to arise from gastric chemoreception is attributable
to delayed postgastric effects.

Effect of lntracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) Administration of Opioids on

Food Intake in Pigs. B.A. BALDWIN, C. DELA RlVAand I. EBENEZER. AFRClnstitute
of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research, Babraham, Cambridge CB2 4A z U.K.

Young pigs, with lateral intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) cannulae, housed individually in cages
with operant panels, could obtain food and water ad libitum. I.c.v. injection of 2OOpg of
Dynorphin 1-13 or 1-17 resulted in a significant meal commencing within 2-5 min. Dynorphin
l-8 or l-9 were ineffective. Dynorphin 1-13 or l-17, administered before a meal or 20 min after it
started, increased meal size when pigs fed after 4 h deprivation. Naloxone i.c.v. abolished the
effects of dynorphin. Leumorphin, an opioid related to dynorphin, increased food intake in the ad
libitum situation but DAGO (a mu receptor agonist) or DSLET ( a delta agonist) were ineffective.
Endogenous dynorphin and leumorphin probably influence food intake in pigs.