Modifications of drinking behaviour and of arterial blood pressure induced by tachykinins in rats and pigeons.

Intracerebroventricular injections of the naturally occurring tachykinins eledoisin, physalaemin and substance P elicit a powerful antidipsogenic effect in the rat, while in the pigeon they potently stimulate water intake. The aim of this paper was to study in conscious rats and pigeons the vascular effect of these peptides and to compare this effect to the one elicited on water intake. The results of these experiments demonstrate that there is no direct relationship between the two effects. Our findings suggest that the effect of these peptides on water intake might be specific on CNS and not related to their vascular activity.