The present study extends the link between food intake and cannabinoid substances, specifically two cannabinoid antagonists AM 630 and AM 281. Previous studies from our lab have focused on the stimulatory effects of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Lewis rats (SFN abstract 847.18, 1998 and SFN abstract 749.17, 1999), which are responsive to appetite-stimulating effects of THC alone and when combined with lateral hypothalamic stimulation (Trojinar & Wise, 1991). The current research examined the potential of cannabinoid antatonists to affect food intake induced by food deprivation. Following establishment of baseline deprivation-induced chow intake (deprivation was 12 h overnight) male Lewis rats (N=20) were divided into two groups of 10, each of which received intracerebroventricular (i.c.v ) injections of either AM 630 or AM 281 at doses of 0 (veh = 4% DMSO) 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 ug (all in 10 ul volumes) following overnight food deprivation. Food intake was measured at 0.5, 1, 2, 4 & 6h following injecti...