Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES: The involvement of the nitricergic system within the shell part of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) was evaluated in the metabolic disturbances due to stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were cannulated in the shell of the left NAc. They received either saline or different doses of L-arginine and/or L-NAME five minutes before each stress session, for four days. Plasma cortisol concentration, food and water intake, time elapsing for eating, animal weight changes and adrenal gland weight were recorded. RESULTS: The L-arginine 1 μg/rat decreased the level of cortisol, water and food intake and time of feeding and increased the adrenal weight. But L-NAME at 1 μg/rat had opposite effects on these factors. However, the drugs showed similar effects at 10 μg/rat. CONCLUSION: Injection of nitric oxide modifiers into the left side of NAc shell part may have an interactive role with sub-chronic stress in metabolic behaviour.