A new anorexigen assay: stress-induced hyperphagia in rats.

Humans often respond to stress by overeating. A rat model of hyperphagia induced by a stressful tail-pinch has been described. Consumption of sweetened condensed milk by vaive rats was measured durin the stress. This milk drinking was prevented by pretreatment with d-amphetamine, chlorphentermine, diethylpropion, fenfluramine, methamphetamine, morphine, chlorpromazine and haloperidol. The benzodiazepines chlordiazepoxide and diazepam increased the hyperphagia. The relevance of dopaminergic agonistic and antagonist activities to anorexigenic activity are questioned.