Cholecystokinin and thermoregulation - a minireview

Thermoregulatory effcts of cholecystokinin (CCK) peptides are reviewed with special emphasis on two types of responses, that is hypothermia or hyperth ermia. In rodents exposed to cold a dose-dependent hypothermia has been obs erved on peripheral injection of CCK probably acting on CCKA receptors. Cen tral microinjection of CCK in rats induced a thermogenic response that coul d be attenuated by CCKB receptor antagonists, but some authors observed ii hypothermia. It is suggested that neuronal CCK map have a specific role in the development of hyperthermia, and endogenous CCK-ergic mechanisms could contribute to the mediation of fever. Possible connections between thermore gulatory and other autonomic functional changes induced by CCK are discusse d. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. AU rights reserved.