title: Effect of central administration of carnosine and its constituents on behaviors in chicks.
abstract: Even though their contents in the brain are high, the function of brain carnosine and its constituents has not been clarified. Both carnosine and anserine inhibited food intake in a dose dependent fashion when injected intracerebroventricularly. The constituents of carnosine, beta-alanine (beta-Ala) and l-histidine (His), also inhibited food intake, but their effects were weaker than carnosine itself. Co-administration with beta-Ala and His inhibited food intake similar to carnosine, but also altered other behaviors. Injection of carnosine induced hyperactivity and increased plasma corticosterone level, whereas beta-Ala plus His induced hypoactivity manifested as sleep-like behavior. This later effect seemed to be derived from beta-Ala, not His. These results suggest that central carnosine may act in the brain of chicks to regulate brain function and/or behavior in a manner different from its constituents.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Advanced Animal and Marine Bioresources, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: Shozo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomonaga
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: Tomo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Ei-Suke
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: D Michael
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Denbow
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furuse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000861:Anserine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002336:Carnosine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002645:Chickens; D003348:Cortisone / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D006639:Histidine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000378:metabolism; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015091:beta-Alanine; D006639:Histidine; D002336:Carnosine; D000861:Anserine; D003348:Cortisone