Changes in ingestive behaviors and body weight following intracranial application of 17 alpha-estradiol.
The present experiment was conducted to determine if central implants of 17 alpha-estradiol could influence food intake, water intake, and body weight in ovariectomized rats. A total of fifteen animals were fitted with bilateral guide cannulae in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and stimulated unilaterally with cholesterol and 17 alpha-estradiol in each side of the brain. Compared with cholesterol treatment, 17 alpha-estradiol implants in the PVN significantly lowered food intake and body weight but did not affect water intake. These findings indicate that the PVN is a brain region responsive to the effects of 17 alpha-estradiol on feeding behavior, and support the hypothesis that the effects of estrogens on ingestive and reproductive behaviors are organized separately within the brain.
Butera
P C
PC
Department of Psychology, Niagara University, NY 14109.
Beikirch
R J
RJ
Willard
D M
DM
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004971:Estrus / Q000187:drug effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000187:drug effects*
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D004958:Estradiol