[Evaluation of food intake and adrenergic response in rats during the tail pinch test]

The urinary catecholamines output and the food intake were investigated in two groups of rats: a control group and a group where Tail Pinches (T.P.) were performed. Our results have shown, as these of antelman and al., that the Tail Pinch induced a high concentrate milk consumption, in spite of an increase of adrenergic activity which is known to have an inhibitory effect on caloric intake. We suggest that the role of various stress on food intake dependes on the balance of these two antagonist effects.