Water, Sodium Chloride, and Food Intake Induced by Injections of Cholinergic and Adrenergic Drugs into the Third Ventricle of the Rat Brain

SummaryThe effects of microinjection of adrenergic and cholinergic drugs and hypertonic saline into the third ventricle on the intake of water, hypertonic salt (NaCl) solution, and food were studied. Carbachol induced a dramatic, rapid, 15-fold increase in water intake, whereas none of the other drugs were active. Both carbachol and isoproterenol evoked large increases in salt intake. Again, all other drugs failed to produce significant effects. Food intake was increased by the following adrenergic compounds: epinephrine, norepinephrine, metaraminol, isoproterenol, and dopamine. Carbachol was also effective in augmenting food intake but the effect was delayed. Hypertonic saline produced a delayed increase in both water and food intake but did not alter salt intake. The results are interpreted to mean that a cholinergic synapse lies in the pathways which mediate water intake, whereas both cholinergic and adrenergic synapses may be involved in the mediation of salt and food intake.