Alpha-MSH and MCH are functional antagonists in a CNS auditory gating paradigm
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Updated: Nov 7, 2026

Functional Neuroimaging Using Ultrasonic Blood-brain Barrier Disruption and Manganese-enhanced MRI
Published on: July 12, 2012
C L Miller1, V J Hruby, T O Matsunaga
1Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262.
Abstract:
The peptides alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and melanin concentrating hormone (MCH; rat and salmon sequence) were administered to anesthetized rats by intracerebroventricular infusion. Depth recordings were carried out in the dorsal hippocampus, and auditory gating was assessed. Auditory gating in this paradigm refers to the decrease in amplitude of the second of two tone-evoked CNS potentials that can be measured when pairs of identical tones are presented 500 ms apart. Alpha-MSH increases auditory gating, whereas MCH has the opposite effect. When MCH was administered prior to alpha-MSH, the ability of alpha-MSH to increase auditory gating was blocked. Thus, the two peptides appear to be functional antagonists.
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