Variability of changes in obese rat brain monoamines in response to cholecystokinin.

The interactions between cholecystokinin (CCK) and brain monoamines have been investigated. The data found in the literature are quite dissimilar. Several reasons for these disparities have been suggested. We have sought to test some of them, such as the strain of rat, the nutritional state (by the use of two models of obesity), the length of the peptide (CCK 8 and CCK 33), the route of administration (i.p. and i.c.v.) and the time of sacrifice. We indeed found all these experimental conditions to be the cause of differential effects on brain monoamines and metabolites. However, by repeating the same experiments several times, we did not always obtain the same variations, even under the same conditions. In addition to the different parameters tested, another source of variability exists, possibly due to the molecule itself or to seasonal variations.