5-HT manipulation and dietary choice: variable carbohydrate (Polycose) suppression demonstrated only under specific experimental conditions.

The effects of six 5-HT anorectic agents, d-fenfluramine (5-HT releaser and reuptake inhibitor), fluoxetine (5-HT reuptake inhibitor), mCPP (5-HT1B/5-HT1C receptor agonist), RU24969 (5-HT1A/5-HT1B receptor agonist), MK212 (5-HT1C receptor agonist) and DOI (5-HT2/5-HT1C receptor agonist), and two non-5-HT anorectic agents, salbutamol (beta 2-adrenergic agonist) and d-amphetamine (catecholaminergic agonist), were examined in an experimental procedure designed to disclose selective effects on carbohydrate consumption. In this procedure, a revised version of what we have termed "The Classic Sclafani Paradigm", animals are presented with powdered Polycose as an optional carbohydrate supplement to hydrated chow (nutritionally complete diet). All drugs produced significant reductions in total (hydrated chow plus powdered Polycose) intake. However, only the 5-HT drugs DOI and fluoxetine exerted significantly stronger anorectic effects on intake of powdered Polycose than on intake of hydrated chow. d-Fenfluramine also showed a tendency to selectively suppress Polycose intake but this effect marginally failed to reach significance. These results suggest that when experimental conditions are favourable, what appears to be selective carbohydrate (Polycose) suppression can be demonstrated with certain 5-HT drugs. They also suggest that a selective effect on carbohydrate intake is not the most prominent feeding response to 5-HT drugs.