Intraventricular ACTH and vasopressin cause regionally specific changes in cerebral deoxyglucose uptake

The cerebral uptake of subcutaneously injected [3H] 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) was used to determine regional changes of cerebral glucose uptake associated with peptide-induced behaviors in mice. Evidence is presented that the use of [3H] 2DG (s.c.) gives results qualitatively similar to those obtained using intravenous [14C] 2DG. Lysine vasopressin, 1 microgram intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) induced the characteristic hyperactivity previously described, and significantly decreased [3H] 2DG uptake in frontal cortex. ACTH1-24 (1 microgram i.c.v.) induced excessive grooming and concomitant decreases in [3H] 2DG uptake in the olfactory bulb, pyriform cortex, and amygdala, and an increase in cerebellum. These results are only partly consistent with previous results on the cerebral sites of action of ACTH and vasopressin. These patterns of 2DG uptake are distinct from those observed following footshock, indicating that the peptide hormones mediate the effects of footshock on [3H] 2DG uptake only partially if at all.