Effects of intracerebroventricular administration of neurotensin, substance P and calcitonin on gastrointestinal motility in normal and vagotomized rats.

The effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) vs. intravenous (IV) injection of neurotensin, substance P and calcitonin on intestinal myoelectrical activity were examined in fed rats. ICV administered neurotensin and calcitonin restored the 'fasted' pattern of intestinal activity, i.e. the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) at a dose as low as 12 and 0.2 pmol, respectively, whereas substance P only reduced significantly (P less than 0.01) the duration of the postprandial pattern when injected ICV (48 pmol). Administered systemically at doses 100 times higher than the smallest active doses by the ICV route, calcitonin induced a fasted pattern, while neurotensin and substance P did not modify the fed pattern. The effects of ICV administration of neurotensin and calcitonin were abolished after vagotomy but the shortening effect of substance P on the duration of the postprandial pattern was still present. It is concluded that these three neuropeptides act centrally to control the pattern of intestinal motility in fed rats by shortening the 'fed' pattern for substance P and by restoring the MMC pattern for calcitonin and neurotensin, this last effect being mediated by the vagus.