The effect of intranucleus accumbens shell injection of Retinoic acid on foodintake and body weight in rats

Retinoids are lipophilic compounds derived from vitamin A that affect many metabolic and developmental processes. They do physiological and pharmacological functions by regulating transcription of specific target genes. As we know central nervous system controls foodintake and body weight through hypothalamus. Nucleus accumbens also regulate foodintake, body weight and metabolism by connection with hypothalamus.In this study we investigated the effect of retinoic acid (RA) microinjection into Nucleus accumbens shell on body weight and foodintake. Rats were anaesthetized with ketamin-xylazine (60mg/kg -4mg/kg,i.p) and cannulae were implanted bilaterally in the nucleus accumbens shell (AP=1.7mm from bregma, LA=0/8mm, DM=5/6mm from scale). After recovery period retinoic acid (1/5, 3, 6 μg/Rat) were injected daily (volum 0/5µl) for 4 successive days and body weight and foodintake were measured daily. The results showed that centrally injected retinoic acid in nucleus accumbens didn’t affect food intake but decreased body weight significantly. It shows relationship between nucleus accumbens and hypothalamic area that regulate foodintake and body weight. Therfore RA can change foodintake and body weight via the nucleus accumbens shell.