STARVATION-INDUCED HYPERACTIVITY IN THE RAT - THE ROLE OF ENDOCRINE AND NEUROTRANSMITTER CHANGES

Semistarved rats develop high running wheel activity. This running act ivity induces increased norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin turnov er in the hypothalamus. Corticosterone in plasma becomes increased whi le luteinizing hormone and testosterone are suppressed. In female rats cyclic gonadal function is suppressed. Running activity in the semist arved rats can be suppressed specifically by serotonin 1-c-agonists an d by alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists. This animal model is helpful in the understanding of the combined effects of starvation and hyperactivity , which are observed in many patients with anorexia nervosa. The obser vation of the serotonergic system might help to develop a pharmacologi cal treatment of hyperactivity in anorectic patients.