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. 2001 Nov;134(6):1151-4.
doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0704379.

Anandamide administration into the ventromedial hypothalamus stimulates appetite in rats

N Jamshidi  1 , D A Taylor
Affiliations

Anandamide administration into the ventromedial hypothalamus stimulates appetite in rats

N Jamshidi et al. Br J Pharmacol. 2001 Nov.

Abstract

This investigation reports the possible role of the endocannabinoid anandamide in modulating appetitive behaviour. Given that cannabinoids have been used clinically to stimulate appetite in HIV and cancer chemotherapy patients, there has been a renewed interest in the involvement of cannabinoids in appetite modulation. This is the first report on the administration of anandamide into the ventromedial hypothalamus. Pre-satiated rats received an intrahypothalamic injection of anandamide (50 ng x 0.5 microl(-1)) followed by measurement of food intake at 3 h post injection. Administration of anandamide induced significant hyperphagia. Pretreatment with the selective CB1 cannabinoid antagonist SR 141716 (30 microg x 0.5 microl(-1)), 30 min prior to anandamide injection resulted in an attenuation of the anandamide-induced hyperphagia (P<0.001). This study demonstrates that intrahypothalamic anandamide initiates appetite by stimulation of CB1 receptors, thus providing evidence on the involvement of hypothalamic endocannabinoids in appetite initiation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of injection into the ventromedial hypothalamus of AEA 50 ng (n=8), 150 ng (n=8), saline (n=9), SR 141716 30 μg (n=9), and SR 141716 injected 30 min prior to AEA 50 ng (n=7) intrahypothalamically on food intake in pre-satiated rats (*P<0.001, when compared with vehicle). Results are expressed as mean+s.e.mean.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic diagram of coronal brain section outlining the area within the hypothalamus in which the cannulae were placed to observe the effects of AEA and SR 141716 on appetite (Paxinos & Watson, 1986).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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