title: The effects of central administration of the CCK-B receptor agonist pentagastrin on feeding and cortisol release in sheep.
abstract: In order to test the validity of the hypothesis that implicates central cholecystokinin-B (CCK-B) receptors in the etiology of anxiety and panic disorders, we argued that activation of these receptors by the CCK-B receptor agonist pentagastrin should (i) suppress feeding in hungry animals, and (ii) increase plasma concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol. We found that intracerebroventricular administration of pentagastrin (4 and 10 micrograms) did not inhibit feeding nor increase cortisol secretion in sheep (n = 6). Moreover, the peptide did not produce behavioral responses in the animals. We conclude that central CCK-B receptors are unlikely to be involved in behaviors associated with anxiety or panic in this species.
authors.affiliation: Neuropharmacology Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, England.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Ebenezer
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Parrott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005508:Food Deprivation; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D010418:Pentagastrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043887:Receptor, Cholecystokinin B; D011949:Receptors, Cholecystokinin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D043887:Receptor, Cholecystokinin B; D011949:Receptors, Cholecystokinin; D010418:Pentagastrin; D006854:Hydrocortisone