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Agouti-related protein prevents self-starvation

Molecular Psychiatry volume 8, pages 235–240 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Food restriction leads to a paradoxical increase in physical activity and further suppression of food intake, such as observed in anorexia nervosa.1,2 To understand this pathophysiological process, we induced physical hyperactivity and self-starvation in rats by restricting food in the presence of running wheels. Normally, decreased melanocortin receptor activity will prevent starvation.3,4 However, we found that self-starvation increased melanocortin receptors in the ventral medial hypothalamus, a brain region involved in eating behavior.5 Suppression of melanocortin receptor activity, via central infusion of Agouti-related protein (AgRP), increased survival rate in these rats by counteracting physical hyperactivity, food intake suppression as well as deregulated body temperature. We conclude that self-starvation may result from insufficient suppression of central melanocortin receptor activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M J H Kas & R A H Adan

  2. Department of Neuroendocrinology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

    G van Dijk & A J W Scheurink

Authors
  1. M J H Kas
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  2. G van Dijk
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  3. A J W Scheurink
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  4. R A H Adan
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Correspondence to R A H Adan.

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Kas, M., van Dijk, G., Scheurink, A. et al. Agouti-related protein prevents self-starvation. Mol Psychiatry 8, 235–240 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001206

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