EFFECTS OF BUSPIRONE ON OPERANT AND NONOPERANT FOOD-INTAKE IN FOOD-DEPRIVED RATS

The effects of the clinically available 5-HT1A agonist, buspirone, wer e investigated on food intake in food-deprived rats in both nonoperant and operant feeding paradigms. Buspirone (0.5-2.0 mg/kg), administere d subcutaneously (s.c.) 15 min prior to presentation of food, produced a dose-related inhibition of food intake in the nonoperant feeding pa radigm. The main inhibitory effects of buspirone were apparent during the first 30 min after food presentation. Likewise, in the operant fee ding paradigm, buspirone (0.25-1.0 mg/kg, s.c.) produced a dose-relate d suppression of food intake in the first 30 min after administration. None of the doses of buspirone produced stereotyped or abnormal behav ioral changes in the animals. The results of the study, therefore, sug gest hat the inhibitory effects of buspirone on food intake in food-de prived rats are unlikely to be due to nonspecific disruptions of behav ior. Furthermore, the present findings have important clinical implica tions with regard to possible ingestive side effects of this drug may have in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.