Does anyone know the mechanism by which amphetamines act as appetite suppressants ? My understanding is that these substances promote the release and retard reuptake of catecholamines, particularly norepinephrine and dopamine and that it is the latter that promotes their euphoric effects. However, Carlson (Physiology of Behavior) cites several lines of evidence implicating norepinephrine as a neurotransmitter (in the paraventricular n. of the hypothalamus) that stimulates eating, particularly carbohydrates. When I reviewed some of this evidence in class yesterday, a student asked how amphetamines, as norep agonists, could suppress appetite and I was at a loss for the answer. I am also aware of some of the evidence that 5-HT (serotonin) and its agonists in the hypothalamus can suppress appetite (particularly for carbohydrates) but have not found any relationship between the amphetamines and 5-HT. Help. George George Goedel Professor & Chairperson Department of Psychology Northern Kentucky University Highland Hts., KY 41099-2000 (606) 572-5574 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
