Intracerebroventricular injection of neuropeptide FF, an opioid modulating neuropeptide, acutely reduces food intake and stimulates water intake in the rat.

Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) is a mammalian peptide that is found in high concentrations in the central nervous system (CNS) and has also been detected in plasma. Various functions have been attributed to this peptide although its main action in the CNS remains unclear. In this study we observed that intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of human NPFF, at early light phase in fasted rats, acutely reduced food intake and caused a large increase in water intake compared with saline injected controls. This effect was independently observed in two separate studies yielding similar results. Thus the central effects of NPFF to decrease food intake may be largely attributable to increased water intake.