Stimulation of 5–HT2A/2C receptors within specific hypothalamic nuclei differentially antagonizes NPY-induced feeding

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Abstract
THE present study examined the impact of the 5–HT2A/2C agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) on the feeding-stimulant action of neuropeptide Y (NPY) injected into three hypothalamic sites, the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), the perifornical hypothalamus (PFH) and the ventromedial nucleus (VMH). Injections of NPY (100–200 pmol) into each region potentiated food intake. Pretreatment with DOI (5–20 nmol) into the PVN effectively suppressed feeding elicited by PVN NPY (100 pmol). In contrast, DOI injections into the PFH and VMH failed to modify NPY-stimulated eating. This suggests that 5-HT2A/2C receptor modulation of NPY feeding within the hypothalamus is localized to the PVN.