title: Effects of alpha-MSH on kainic acid induced changes in core temperature in rats.
abstract: The effects of intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of kainic acid (KA) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) alone or in combination, on core temperature of freely moving rats were examined. KA or saline was administered once (10 mg/kg) and alpha-MSH or saline was given repeatedly i.e. 10 min before and 10, 30 and 60 min after the administration of saline or KA. Two doses of alpha-MSH were used: 0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg. KA alone produced a biphasic effect on core temperature, i.e. an initial short-lasting hypothermia followed by hyperthermia that lasted about 6 h. The higher dose of alpha-MSH had a potentiating effect on KA-induced hypothermia, while the lower dose of alpha-MSH increased the hyperthermia produced by KA. alpha-MSH administered alone produced a late (3 h), dose-dependent increase in core temperature. It is conceivable that repeated administration of alpha-MSH in the doses used in our study may cause a cumulative effect in raising body temperature for a limited period of time. The previously described interactions between KA and alpha-MSH, respectively, with dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems may account for the effects on core temperature in rats observed in our study.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of NEUROTEC, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Novum, SE-141 86, Huddinge, Sweden. Mircea.Oprica@neurotec.ki.se
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oprica
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forslin Aronsson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Post
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahlenius
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schultzberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007035:Hypothermia; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000521:alpha-MSH; D007608:Kainic Acid