RGD Reference Report - The regulation of alcohol intake by melanin-concentrating hormone in rats. - Rat Genome Database

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The regulation of alcohol intake by melanin-concentrating hormone in rats.

Authors: Duncan, EA  Rider, TR  Jandacek, RJ  Clegg, DJ  Benoit, SC  Tso, P  Woods, SC 
Citation: Duncan EA, etal., Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2006 Dec;85(4):728-35. Epub 2006 Dec 22.
RGD ID: 1642491
Pubmed: PMID:17188345   (View Abstract at PubMed)
PMCID: PMC3856657   (View Article at PubMed Central)
DOI: DOI:10.1016/j.pbb.2006.11.004   (Journal Full-text)

Given into the brain, melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) increases alcohol consumption, but the mechanism and physiological relevance of this effect are unclear. We hypothesized that endogenous MCH will enhance alcohol drinking and that MCH increases alcohol's reinforcing properties. An MCH receptor 1 (MCHR1) antagonist, or saline was administered centrally alone, or preceding MCH or saline to rats trained to drink 10% alcohol using sucrose fading. Blocking MCHR1 neither reduced alcohol intake (saline=0.4+/-0.1 g, 30 microg MCHR1 antagonist=0.4+/-0.1 g/kg alcohol), nor attenuated MCH-induced alcohol drinking (MCHR1 antagonist/saline=0.7+/-0.1 g/kg, MCHR1 antagonist/MCH=0.9+/-0.1 g/kg alcohol). Another cohort of rats was trained to lever press for alcohol on a progressive ratio schedule. MCH or saline was administered centrally and lever presses were measured. MCH had no effect prior to the break point, but increased total responding during the session (saline=87.2+/-32.0, MCH=315.4+/-61.0 presses). In conclusion, these data suggest that MCH augments alcohol drinking partly by enhancing the drug's reinforcing value. Further, endogenous MCH does not seem to regulate alcohol drinking, however because the antagonist failed to attenuate MCH-induced alcohol intake this conclusion is tentative.

Gene Ontology Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View

Biological Process
TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
drinking behavior  IDA 1642491 RGD 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Pmch  (pro-melanin-concentrating hormone)


Additional Information