Further analysis of the effects of cholecystokinin octapeptides on avoidance behaviour in rats

Experiments were performed to examine the acute effects of cholecystokinin octapeptides and fragments on the active and passive avoidance behaviour of rats following peripheral and central administration. Both the sulphated (CCK-8-SE) and non-sulphated cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8-NS) and also the COOH-terminal tetra-, penta-, hexa- and heptapeptides of cholecystokinin octapeptide facilitated the extinction of active avoidance behaviour and retention of passive avoidance behaviour. This latter effect of cholecystokinin octapeptides was reversed by anxiolytic chlordiazepoxide pretreatment, showing that in these test situations cholecystokinin octapeptides are able to modify fear-motivation or arousal of the animals; their effect is at least partly similar to that of the neuroleptic substance haloperidol. Subcutaneous treatment with CCK-8-SE or CCK-8-NS appeared to be 3-10 times more effective than intraperitoneal treatment. Following intracerebroventricular administration, 100-300 times lower doses were needed to cause a behavioural effect similar to that after subcutaneous injection. Microinjection of CCK-8-SE or CCK-8-NS in the fmol dose range into the nucleus accumbens facilitated the extinction of active avoidance behaviour and attenuated the retention of passive avoidance behaviour, while microinjection of these peptides into the central amygdaloid nucleus caused opposite effects on these behavioural tests. It seems that the neuroleptic-like effects of cholecystokinin octapeptides are mediated through the nucleus accumbens, and the opposite action (non neuroleptic-like) through the central amygdaloid nucleus.