The role of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors in the stimulating effect of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on rat behavioural activity.

The role of noradrenergic alpha-1 receptors in increasing the behavioural activity after neuropeptide Y (NPY) injection into the frontal cortex was examined in rats. NPY (1 micrograms/1 microliter) injected into the frontal cortex of rats with chronically implanted cannulae, increased their locomotor and exploratory activity in the open field test. Similar effects were observed after injection of the alpha-1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine (PH) (3-19 micrograms/1 microliter). Behavioural stimulation after NPY or PH was totally abolished by pretreatment with benextramine (1.73-173 micrograms/1 microliter), a compound blocking NPY and alpha-adrenergic receptors. The NPY-induced activation of behaviour was also abolished by i.p. injection of prazosine (3 mg/kg), a specific alpha-1-adrenergic receptor antagonist. It is concluded that: 1) NPY injected into the rat frontal cortex induces an increase in the locomotor and exploratory activity of the animals; and 2) indirect activation of alpha-1-adrenergic receptor seems to play a crucial role in the observed behavioural effects.