Food intake, neuroendocrine and temperature effects of 8-OHDPAT in the rat

Administration of 8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OHDPAT) to rats produced dose-dependent decreases in food intake and hypothermia, increases in plasma prolactin and corticosterone, and a decrease in plasma growth hormone. 8-OHDPAT administration also induced the serotonin behavioral syndrome at all doses. Pretreatment with metergoline did not affect the 8-OHDPAT-induced behavioral syndrome or decrease in food intake but attenuated the prolactin increase and, furthermore, potentiated 8-OHDPAT-induced hypothermia. Pretreatment with ritanserin or naloxone did not modify 8-OHDPAT-induced changes in food intake, temperature or prolactin. Similarly, pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine, propranolol, clonidine, haloperidol and methiothepin also did not attenuate 8-OHDPAT-induced decreases in food intake. Administration of pindolol alone produced hyperthermia, decreased food intake and enhanced prolactin secretion. Pindolol thus appears to act as a partial 5-HT agonist in addition to being an antagonist at central 5-HT receptors.