title: Behavioural responses of gamma-MSH peptides administered into the rat ventral tegmental area.
abstract: The behavioural effects induced by alpha-, gamma1- and gamma2-MSH peptides (0.3 and 3 nmole per rat) injected into the left ventral tegmental area (VTA) of rats were compared. alpha- and gamma1-MSH caused grooming of comparable magnitude, and also additional vertical activity (rearing). By contrast gamma2-MSH caused a moderate but stable catalepsy, and practically no grooming. Moreover, intra-VTA pre-treatment with gamma2-MSH, 15 min prior to intra-VTA gamma1-MSH, markedly attenuated both the gamma1-induced grooming and vertical activities. The differences in the behavioural response of the MSH peptides indicate that they act differentially on MC receptors in the VTA.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Klusa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Svirskis
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Opmane
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muceniece
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wikberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002375:Catalepsy / Q000139:chemically induced; D006120:Grooming / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000187:drug effects*; D019825:gamma-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D019825:gamma-MSH