Blockade of 8-OH-DPAT-induced feeding by dopamine antagonists.

Feeding elicited by the 5HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT was blocked by pretreatment with the DA antagonists SCH-23390 and sulpiride, in two experiments conducted in non-deprived rats and in three experiments conducted after 4 h food deprivation. In deprived animals, 8-OH-DPAT prolonged the initial period of feeding. However, in non-deprived animals, 8-OH-DPAT delayed the onset of eating, and suppressed post-prandial resting; both SCH-23390 and sulpiride restored the normal pattern of behaviour. All three drugs suppressed grooming. The results suggest that 8-OH-DPAT elicits feeding by a secondary disinhibition of activity postsynaptic to DA neurons. The consequences of this mechanism for the interpretation of 8-OH-DPAT-induced feeding are discussed.