Reduced dipsogenic responsiveness to intracerebroventricularly administered angiotensin II in estrogen-treated rats.

Chronic administration of two doses of estradiol benzoate (30 and 46 micrograms/kg/day) reduced the drinking response to acute administration of either isoproterenol (25 micrograms/kg, s.c.), the beta-adrenergic agonist, or angiotensin II (Ang II) (200 micrograms/kg, s.c.). The drinking response to intracerebroventricular administration of Ang II (40 ng/kg), but not carbachol (800 ng/kg), was also attenuated in estrogen-treated rats. An assessment of the Ang II binding in a diencephalic block of tissue from estrogen-treated rats revealed a significant reduction compared to untreated controls. The results suggest, but do not prove, that the reduced drinking response observed in estrogen-treated rats may be related to a reduction in the number of Ang II receptors in the brain.