title: The effects of clonidine on food consumption and food competition in male stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides).
abstract: The effects of clonidine on noncompetitive and competitive feeding were examined in three adult male stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides). Noncompetitive feeding was examined when the subjects were individually-caged or group-caged. Clonidine (1.0 mg/kg) administered IM substantially increased food consumption over control values in all subjects in both housing situations. The effects of clonidine on competitive feeding behavior were evaluated in the group-caged environment. Food competition was assessed by recording the number of chows retrieved from a common food box by each subject. Food retrieval was increased in the lowest-ranking subject when clonidine was administered to all subjects. Retrieval decreased in the middle-ranking subject and was unchanged in the highest-ranking subject. Administration of clonidine to individual subjects did not increase food retrieval. It is concluded that since the hyperphagic property of clonidine was only apparent during noncompetitive food-getting, that other drug-behavioral interactions prevented an increase in food retrieval during competitive situations.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D008251:Macaca; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D003000:Clonidine