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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The Effects of Neuropeptide S on Ethanol Drinking and Other Related Behaviors in Alcohol-Preferring and -Nonpreferring Rats
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research OnlineEarly Articles 17 June 2008

Neuropeptide S (NPS) is a 20-amino-acid peptide, identified in the brain and periphery, that is reported to regulate arousal, anxiety, and feeding behavior. Studies were conducted to determine whether this peptide would alter ethanol intake, sucrose intake, anxiety, and general motor activity in alcohol-preferring (P) and -nonpreferring (NP) rats.

NPS reduced ethanol intake in P, but not in NP rats. It did not influence sucrose solution intake in P rats. However, an increase in food intake was seen in both rat lines following lower doses of the peptide. NPS did neither alter anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze test nor was there an effect on general motor activity; however, there was an increase in the amount of time spent in the center of the activity monitors following infusions of 0.6 nmol of NPS in P, but not in NP rats, indicating anxioltyic actions of the peptide.

These data suggest a role for NPS in the modulation of ethanol drinking and possibly anxiety-like behavior in rats selectively bred for high alcohol drinking.

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