Neuroendocrine control of feeding behavior and psychomotor activity by pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in vertebrates

Food intake is a fundamental for animals to surviving and keeping offspring. The hypothalamic region of the brain and the brain stem in vertebrates are a center that plays an important role in the control of feeding and its related behaviors including locomotor and psychomotor activities. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) has firstly been identified as a hypophysiotropic hormone involved in adenohypophyseal hormone release, and subsequently has been considered as a neuropeptide exerting multifunctional roles in the central and peripheral nervous systems and several tissues in vertebrates. For example, PACAP is involved in the neuroendocrine control of food intake and acts as an anorexigenic peptide to regulate satiety. Recent works on animal models such as rodents and goldfish which are both excellent animal models for investigating the neuroendocrinological roles of PACAP have been extensively examined and considerable information has been accumulated. In addition, psychophysiological effects of PACAP on emotional behavior have recently been found. Therefore, this review article provides an overview of the neuroendocrine regulation of feeding behavior and psyphysiological activity by PACAP in vertebrates.