The effect of somatostatin on self-stimulation behavior in atropine- and methysergide-pretreated rats.

The effect of somatostatin on lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation was investigated in atropine- and methysergide-pretreated rats. Somatostatin markedly decreased the self-stimulation rate of the animals. Atropine in a dose which had no action on self-stimulation partly antagonized the effect of somatostatin. Methysergide potentiated the somatostatin-induced depression of self-stimulation behavior. These results suggest that the central cholinergic and serotoninergic systems may play a role in the somatostatin-induced inhibition of self-stimulation.