Effect of combination of peripheral oxytocin and naltrexone at subthreshold doses on food intake, body weight and feeding-related brain gene expression in male rats.

Head MA, Levine AS, Christian DG, Klockars A, Olszewski PK

Physiology & behavior20 May 2021Cited by 12 (Europe PMC)

PMID34022256DOI10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113464PepBankPUB-34022256

Publisher page PubMedAsk about this study

Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study7

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Studies that did not test the peptide alone7

In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Oxytocin.

01AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In non-deprived male rats, intravenous oxytocin plus naltrexone, each at a subthreshold dose, decreased episodic consumption of a 10% sucrose solution.
In plain wordsIn rats, a low-dose oxytocin and naltrexone combination reduced sucrose drinking.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
Decrease10% sucrose solution intake
Study
rat (male)n: not reported in source
Food intake and feeding-related brain gene expression
Outcome group
Appetite and food intake · Metabolic and weight
Source sentences
Summary
We found that intravenous OT+NTX combination, at doses subthreshold for each of the drugs individually, decreased episodic consumption of a 10% sucrose solution in non-deprived animals.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402225601
02AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In male rats, daily oxytocin plus naltrexone over 24 days decreased cumulative high-fat high-sugar meal intake.
In plain wordsIn rats, daily oxytocin plus naltrexone reduced intake of a high-fat high-sugar meal.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseCumulative high-fat high-sugar diet intake
Study
rat (male)n: not reported in source
Food intake and feeding-related brain gene expression
Outcome group
Appetite and food intake · Metabolic and weight
Source sentences
Summary
Daily administration of OT and NTX just before a scheduled, 2-hour, high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) meal over 24 days, decreased cumulative HFHS diet intake, but without a change in body weight due to compensatory standard chow intake during the remainder of the day.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402225602
03AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In male rats, 24 days of oxytocin plus naltrexone caused no change in body weight.
In plain wordsIn rats, oxytocin plus naltrexone did not change body weight over 24 days.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeBody weight
Study
rat (male)n: not reported in source
Food intake and feeding-related brain gene expression
Outcome group
Body weight · Metabolic and weight
Source sentences
Summary
Daily administration of OT and NTX just before a scheduled, 2-hour, high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) meal over 24 days, decreased cumulative HFHS diet intake, but without a change in body weight due to compensatory standard chow intake during the remainder of the day.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402225603
04AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In male rats, compensatory standard chow intake during the rest of the day offset the lower high-fat high-sugar intake with oxytocin plus naltrexone.
In plain wordsIn rats, the animals ate more standard chow later in the day to make up for the lower treat-meal intake.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseStandard chow intake
Study
rat (male)n: not reported in source
Food intake and feeding-related brain gene expression
Outcome group
Appetite and food intake · Metabolic and weight
Source sentences
Summary
but without a change in body weight due to compensatory standard chow intake during the remainder of the day.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402225604
05AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In male rats, oxytocin plus naltrexone affected expression of several feeding-related genes in the hypothalamus.
In plain wordsIn rats, oxytocin plus naltrexone changed activity of several feeding-related genes in the hypothalamus.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
Direction not reportedHypothalamic feeding-related gene expression
Study
rat (male)n: not reported in source
Food intake and feeding-related brain gene expression
Outcome group
Appetite and food intake · Nervous system and cognition
Source sentences
Summary
The NTX-OT treatment affected expression of several feeding-related genes in the hypothalamus, brain stem and nucleus accumbens, brain regions essential for the regulation of energy- and reward-driven consumption.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402225605
06AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In male rats, oxytocin plus naltrexone affected expression of several feeding-related genes in the brain stem.
In plain wordsIn rats, oxytocin plus naltrexone changed activity of several feeding-related genes in the brain stem.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
Direction not reportedBrain stem feeding-related gene expression
Study
rat (male)n: not reported in source
Food intake and feeding-related brain gene expression
Outcome group
Appetite and food intake · Nervous system and cognition
Source sentences
Summary
The NTX-OT treatment affected expression of several feeding-related genes in the hypothalamus, brain stem and nucleus accumbens, brain regions essential for the regulation of energy- and reward-driven consumption.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402225606
07AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In male rats, oxytocin plus naltrexone affected expression of several feeding-related genes in the nucleus accumbens.
In plain wordsIn rats, oxytocin plus naltrexone changed activity of several feeding-related genes in the nucleus accumbens.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
Direction not reportedNucleus accumbens feeding-related gene expression
Study
rat (male)n: not reported in source
Food intake and feeding-related brain gene expression
Outcome group
Appetite and food intake · Nervous system and cognition
Source sentences
Summary
The NTX-OT treatment affected expression of several feeding-related genes in the hypothalamus, brain stem and nucleus accumbens, brain regions essential for the regulation of energy- and reward-driven consumption.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-3402225607

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 00:50 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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