We studied the effect of the 5-HT receptor agonist, m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) (0.4 mg/kg), on food intake in 12 healthy female volunteers, in a double-blind placebo controlled design. Compared to placebo, mCPP significantly lowered food intake in a test meal. Treatment with mCPP also caused significant increases in ratings of nausea and light-headedness, though these effects had remitted by the time of the test meal. The results suggest that activation of brain 5-HT2C receptors may lower food intake in humans; it is also possible, however, that the hypophagic effect of mCPP in the present study could be a consequence of its adverse subjective side effects.
