Evidence that the preoptic region is a receptive site for the dipsogenic effects of angiotensin II.

Drinking elicited by administering angiotensin II (ANG II) to the preoptic region with cannulae passing through the lateral ventricles was attenuated significantly when the ventricles or subfornical organ were pretreated with saralasin acetate (Sar1-Ala8-angiotensin II). If the cannulae in the preoptice region were angled to bypass the lateral ventricles water intake elicited by ANG II was less and pretreating the cerebral ventricles with saralasin acetate did not reduce the drinking response. The results suggest that the preoptic region may be a receptive site for ANG II in addition to the subfornical organ and/or cerebral ventricles.