Involvement of catecholaminergic transmission in neurophysiological responses to centrally administered NPY.

The effects of centrally administered NPY on the EEG, somatic behaviour and some autonomic parameters have been studied in unanesthetized rabbit. In this species the peptide induces EEG and behavioural sedative effects similar to those described in the awake rat, but do not cause hypotension, bradycardia and bradypnea. The EEG pattern seems to be independent from the monoaminergic transmission, while the behavioural sedation is reversed by the alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine.