Central ghrelin increases food foraging/hoarding that is blocked by GHSR antagonism and attenuates hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus neuronal activation.

Central administration of ghrelin into the third ventricle significantly increased food intake for 24 hours and food hoarding for 4 days in Siberian hamsters. Blocking the central ghrelin receptor with the antagonist JMV2959 prevented increases in food foraging, hoarding, and intake induced by peripheral ghrelin or food deprivation. Neuronal activation was reduced in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus following receptor blockade.

Siberian hamsters received injections of ghrelin directly into the third ventricle of the brain at three doses. Behavioral changes in food foraging, hoarding, and intake were measured. The ghrelin receptor antagonist JMV2959 was administered centrally to block these effects. Neuronal activation was assessed using c-Fos immunoreactivity in hypothalamic nuclei.

Understanding how central ghrelin signaling controls food-related behaviors helps clarify mechanisms of hunger and appetite regulation. This knowledge could inform treatments for eating disorders or obesity by targeting brain ghrelin pathways.

The study was conducted only in Siberian hamsters, which may limit generalizability to other species. The exact neural circuits beyond the paraventricular nucleus involved were not fully explored.