Xylene induced feeding and drinking behavior and central adrenergic receptor binding

Mice were exposed to 1600 ppm m-xylene 4 hours a day, 5 days a week in 7 weeks. At the end of exposure binding of 3H-clonidine to four brain regions was measured, and it was found that the binding was significantly decreased in the hypothalamus region but not altered in diencephalon, cortex and cerebellum. During the m-xylene exposure the mice ate and drank more than the control group, which resulted in a loss of weight for the controls compared to the exposed mice, when weighed before and after the 4 hours exposure. The results show that m-xylene can induce eating and drinking response in mice, and it is suggested that there is a connection between this phenomenon and the decrease in alpha-receptor binding in the hypothalamus region.