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Induction of excessive grooming in the rat by fragments of lipotropin

Nature volume 264, pages 794–795 (1976)Cite this article

Abstract

CURRENT research reveals the existence of endogenous peptides in brain1,2 and pituitary tissue3,4, which are presumably derived from lipotropin (LPH) and which have opiate like effects and affinity for opiate receptors (enkephalin1, endorphins5, C-Fragment6). N-terminal peptides of ACTH also have measurable, although much lower, affinity for rat brain receptors in vitro7,8, ACTH and congeners are known to play a crucial role in the acquisition and maintenance of a variety of behaviours in animals and man9,10. Intraventricular but not systematic administration of these peptides elicits a stretching and yawning syndrome11,12. In rats this syndrome is preceded by a display of excessive grooming13,14 and this grooming response can be suppressed by peripheral administration of specific opiate antagonists (naloxone, naltrexone)15. Morphine also induces grooming15 and this observation prompted us to study the effect of LPH fragments on excessive grooming in the rat in the absence and presence of an opiate antagonist.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Rudolph Magnus Institute for Pharmacology and Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry Institute of Molecular Biology, State University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    W. H. GISPEN & V. M. WIEGANT

  2. National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, UK

    A. F. BRADBURY, E. C. HULME, D. G. SMYTH & C. R. SNELL

  3. Rudolf Magnus Institute for Pharmacology, State University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

    D. de WIED

Authors
  1. W. H. GISPEN
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  2. V. M. WIEGANT
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  3. A. F. BRADBURY
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  4. E. C. HULME
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  5. D. G. SMYTH
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  6. C. R. SNELL
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  7. D. de WIED
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GISPEN, W., WIEGANT, V., BRADBURY, A. et al. Induction of excessive grooming in the rat by fragments of lipotropin. Nature 264, 794–795 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/264794a0

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