Hindbrain administration of NMDA receptor antagonist AP-5 increases food intake in the rat

1 Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania; and 2 Department of Veterinary Comparative Anatomy Pharmacology and Physiology, Program in Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington Submitted 1 September 2005 ; accepted in final form 30 October 2005 Hindbrain administration of MK-801, a noncompetitive N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) channel blocker, increases meal size, suggesting NMDA receptors in this location participate in control of food intake. However, dizocilpine (MK-801) reportedly antagonizes some non-NMDA ion channels. Therefore, to further assess hindbrain NMDA receptor participation in food intake control, we measured deprivation-induced intakes of 15% sucrose solution or rat chow after intraperitoneal injection of either saline vehicle or D (-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP5), a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, to the fourth ventricular, or nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Intraperitoneal injection of AP5 (0.05, 0.1, 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 mg/kg) did not alter 30-min sucrose intake at any dose (10.7 ± 0.4 ml, saline control) (11.0 ± 0.8, 11.2 ± 1.0, 11.2 ± 1.0, 13.1 ± 2.2, and 11.0 ± 1.9 ml, AP5 doses, respectively). Fourth ventricular administration of both 0.2 µg (16.7 ± 0.6 ml) and 0.4 µg (14.9 ± 0.5 ml) but not 0.1 and 0.6 µg of AP5 significantly increased 60-min sucrose intake compared with saline (11.2 ± 0.4 ml). Twenty-four hour chow intake also was increased compared with saline (AP5: 31.5 ± 0.1 g vs. saline: 27.1 ± 0.6 g). Furthermore, rats did not increase intake of 0.2% saccharin after fourth ventricular AP5 administration (AP5: 9.8 ± 0.7ml, vs. saline: 10.5 ± 0.5ml). Finally, NTS AP5 (20 ng/30 nl) significantly increased 30- (AP5: 17.2 ± 0.7 ml vs. saline: 14.6 ± 1.7 ml), and 60-min (AP5: 19.4 ± 0.6 ml vs. saline: 15.5 ± 1.4 ml) sucrose intake, as well as 24-h chow intake (AP5: 31.6 ± 0.3 g vs. saline: 26.1 ± 1.2 g). These results support the hypothesis that hindbrain NMDA receptors participate in control of food intake and suggest that this participation also may contribute to control of body weight over a 24-h period. satiation; nucleus of the solitary tract; N -methyl-d-aspartate channel blocker Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: M. Covasa, Dept. of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State Univ., 126 South Henderson, Univ. Park, PA, 16802 (