Central nervous system actions of somatostatin-related peptides.

Somatostatin-related peptides act within the central nervous system to influence adrenomedullary epinephrine secretion and thermoregulation. Cysteamine-induced depletion of brain somatostatin-related peptides or central administration of a somatostatin receptor antagonist alters adrenomedullary epinephrine secretion and thermoregulation in a predictable manner. The actions of cysteamine and the somatostatin receptor antagonist are reversed by administration of somatostatins into the central nervous system, supporting the hypothesis that endogenous brain somatostatin-related peptides are involved in the regulation of adrenomedullary epinephrine secretion and thermoregulation.