Intra-accumbens injections of ACTH induce excessive grooming in rats

Abstract

Rats with cannulas implanted into either the nucleus accumbens or the interventricular foramen were handled or handled and injected with 0, 20, 50, 80, or 1,000 ng of ACTH1–24 and then were observed for 1 h afterwards in small testing chambers. Excessive grooming was displayed in animals that had received 80 and 1,000 ng into the nucleus accumbens, but only the 1,000-ng dose was effective in eliciting excessive grooming in animals with intraventricular injections. The excessive grooming found after the 80-ng dose of ACTH in the nucleus accumbens was similar in amount and time course to that observed when 1,000 ng was injected into the ventricular system. The results indicate that the nucleus accumbens is an effective site for ACTH1–24 as it relates to excessive grooming.