Behaviorally specific inhibition of sham feeding by amylin.

To further characterize amylin's inhibitory action on feeding, we examined the effects of intraperitoneal injections of amylin on sham feeding of sucrose in food-deprived male rats with chronic gastric cannulas. Thirty and 100 microg/kg amylin reduced sham feeding, but did not terminate it or elicit the behavioral sequence of satiety. Real feeding of sucrose, but not sham feeding, was reduced after injection of 10 microg/kg amylin. Amylin's inhibitory effect on sham feeding appeared behaviorally specific because neither 30 nor 100 microg/kg amylin affected sham drinking of water in thirsty rats and because no abnormal behaviors occurred. We conclude that amylin has a behaviorally specific satiating effect on sucrose sham feeding that is insufficient to elicit satiety in absence of gastric or postgastric food stimulation.