The role of the subfornical organ in drinking induced by angiotension in the Japanese quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica.

Synthetic 5-valine angiotensin II (AII) induced copious drinking when applied directly to the the subfornical organ (SFO) in the Japanese quail. Reliable response was obtained with as little as 1 ng of AII. The amount of water intake increased dose-dependently from 5 ng to 1 microgram. A latent period of 73.0 +/- 11.0 seconds at 100 ng was noted. The electrical destruction of the SFO significantly reduced the amount of water intake induced by both intravenous and intracranial AII injections. The decrease was proportional to the extent of the SFO lesion. It is conceivable, therefore, that the SFO plays an important role in elicitation of drinking by AII in birds as suggested in mammals.