title: Nitric oxide synthase inhibition and food intake: effects on motivation to eat and in female mice.
abstract: Recent studies have demonstrated that nitric oxide may play an important role in the regulation of food intake. The studies reported here extend these findings by demonstrating that NG-nitro-arginine-methylester, N-Arg(ME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, decreased intake of a highly palatable substance (i.e., milk), though at a higher dose than necessary for decreasing consumption of food pellets. N-Arg(ME) failed to inhibit lever press for milk reward in nonprefed mice, but decreased lever pressing in prefed mice. N-Arg(ME) decreased food intake in female mice, being most potent in proestrus. These studies suggest that nitric oxide synthase inhibition decreases food intake without inducing aversion or illness.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Administration Hospital, St. Louis, MO 63106, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Morley
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Farr
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Flood
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004971:Estrus; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009042:Motivation; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester