title: alpha-Melanotropin induced excessive grooming involves brain acetylcholine possible interaction in the ventral tegmental area.
abstract: Alpha-melanotropin (alpha-MSH) injected into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) or intraventricularly (icv) elicits excessive grooming. The icv infusion of the peptide also induces the stretching-yawning syndrome (SYS). The present study demonstrates that intra-peritoneal, icv or VTA administration of atropine, suppresses alpha-MSH-induced behavior elicited by i cv or VTA injections of the peptide. Experimental evidence is presented suggesting that alpha-MSH may act specifically on a cholinergic afferent to the VTA. The results appear to indicate that a neural target distinct from the dopamine system may be formerly activated by the peptide to elicit behavioral changes such as excessive grooming.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torre
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Celis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D006120:Grooming / Q000187:drug effects*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D008464:Mecamylamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000521:alpha-MSH; D008464:Mecamylamine; D001285:Atropine