Differential role of the hippocampus, amygdala and dorsal raphe nucleus in regulating feeding, memory and anxiety-like behavioral responses to Ghrelin

V CARLINI,; M VARAS,; A CRAGNOLINI,; H SCHIÖT,; SCIMONELLI, T; RUBIALES DE BARIOGLIO, SUSANA ELIZABETH

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Año: 2004 vol. 313 p. 635 - 635

font face="AdvPSTim-B" size="1"> Abstract Ghrelin is a peptide hormone produced and secreted from the stomach. Hypothalamic injection of the peptide increases food intake but it is not known if the peptide affects other brain regions. We measured several behavioral parameters such as anxiety (elevated plus maze), memory retention (step down test), and food intake after injections of different doses of the peptide in the hippocampus, amygdala, and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). The injection of ghrelin in the hippocampus and DRN significantly and dose dependently increased food intake in relation to controls rats, while injections into the amygdala did not affect the food intake. We also show for the first time that ghrelin clearly and dose dependently increases memory retention in the hippocampus, amygdala,