Feeding and locomotion responses to centrally injected nociceptin/orphanin FQ in chicks.
Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), the endogenous ligand of the opioid receptor-like receptor or nociceptin receptor (NOP), has been shown to induce feeding, locomotion, anti-stress and anxiolytic effects in rodents after central nervous system injection. In this study, the effect of intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of N/OFQ on feeding and locomotion behavior was evaluated in male broiler-type chickens. The icv injection of N/OFQ caused a moderate but significant increase in feed intake similar to the classical opioid peptides in rats. It also increased feed pecking frequency and feeding time 1 h after injection. Stepping, wing flapping and preening were not affected by N/OFQ. These results suggest that N/OFQ can act within the central nervous system of chickens to increase feed intake.
Abbasnejad
M
M
Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, 76169-133 Kerman, Iran.
Jonaidi
H
H
Denbow
D M
DM
Pour Rahimi
A M
AM
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular / Q000379:methods; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D000097629:Nociceptin
D018847:Opioid Peptides; D000097629:Nociceptin