The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on Zucker rat food selection and hypothalamic neurotransmitters

The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administered as an acute intraperitoneal (IP) injection on food selection and levels of hypothalamic neurotransmitters of obese Zucker rats was investigated. Animals consumed a 'macronutrient selection' diet which consisted of three separate foodstuffs; they were nearly pure selections of fat, protein or carbohydrate. On the day before DHEA treatment, food bowls were removed at 1700 h and the animals fasted. The next morning some were treated with IP DHEA (100-200 mg/kg) while the controls received vehicle. Two hours later, their food intakes over 4 h were quantitated or, in other experiments, the animals were decapitated and hypothalamic neurotransmitter levels determined. Results showed that the administration of DHEA clearly diminished the amount of fat the animals consumed while their intakes of carbohydrate and protein were unchanged. Levels of neurotransmitters in the paraventricular nuclear region were altered. It is concluded that DHEA diminishes the fat food consumption of obese Zucker rats by altering the levels of neurotransmitters in select regions of the hypothalamus.