Feeding and drinking response following central administrations of bombesin-like peptides in chicks.

Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and neuromedin B (NMB) have been isolated as homologues of bombesin. Central administration of bombesin inhibits feeding behavior in chicks (Gallus gallus) while the effects of GRP and NMB have not been reported. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of GRP, NMB and neuromedin C (NMC, the C-terminus decapeptide of GRP) affected feeding and drinking behavior in chicks. Injection of GRP, NMC and NMB (0.2-5 nmol) decreased feeding behavior in chicks while drinking behavior was not affected. ICV injection of 5 nmol GRP and NMC decreased voluntary locomotion while NMB did not. It is therefore possible that GRP- and NMC-associated hypoactivity is related to the peptides' anorexigenic effects. GRP, NMC and NMB did not affect plasma corticosterone concentration, suggesting that hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis might not be related to the anorexigenic action of these peptides. All these findings support the hypothesis that GRP, NMC and NMB function as anorexigenic factors in the brain of chicks.