Central administration of melanin-concentrating hormone increases alcohol and sucrose/quinine intake in rats

Background: Alcohol is a caloric compound that can contribute to energy intake. Therefore, peptides that regulate energy balance likely modify the motivation to consume alcohol. Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) regulates energy homeostasis and has been implicated in other behaviors that impact alcohol consumption (i.e., anxiety, fluid balance, and reward). We tested the hypothesis that MCH would decrease the motivation to consume alcohol secondarily to reducing anxiety., Methods: Rats were trained to drink 10% ethanol or an isocaloric concentration of sucrose with use of a sucrose-fading technique. MCH (1, 5, or 10 mu g) or its saline vehicle was administered into the third cerebral ventricle (i3vt), and intake of ethanol or sucrose and chow was assessed for 2 hr. Alcohol-naive rats were evaluated in an elevated plus maze after i3vt MCH (10 mu g), neuropeptide Y, or saline administration. Results: Contrary to the hypothesis, MCH dose-dependently increased alcohol intake: saline = 0.7 +/- 0.1 g/kg, 1 mu g MCH = 1.0 +/- 0.1 g/kg, 5 mu g MCH = 1.2 +/- 0.1 g/kg, and 10 mu g MCH = 1.8 +/- 0.3 g/kg (p < 0.01), and this was true whether water was simultaneously available or not. MCH also significantly increased sucrose intake (saline = 1.0 +/- 0.3 g/kg, 10 mu g MCH = 1.4 +/- 0.5 g/kg;p < 0.05). MCH had no effect on time spent in the open arms (54.3 +/- 11.5 see) relative to saline (58.2 +/- 23.8 sec), whereas neuropeptide Y, a known anxiolytic, increased time spent on the open arms (119.2 +/- 22 sec, p < 0.05). Conclusions: We conclude that MCH nonspecifically increases ingestive behavior. Furthermore, MCH had no apparent effect on anxiety. The ability of MCH to increase alcohol and/or sucrose intake may be explained by the effect of MCH on energy balance and/or reward processes.