Neuropeptidergic Regulation of Food Intake in the Neonatal Chick: A Review

Immediately after hatching, neonatal chicks can find their food and control food intake, but the mechanisms for feeding are not completely understood. Food intake regulation in the brain involves neuropeptides. While some neuropeptides have effects similar to that observed in mammals, others have an opposite effect. Since the neonatal chick is precocial, the ability to obtain food is very important. However, the orexigenic factors are limited to neuropeptide Y, opioid, prolactin releasing peptide and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone. The effects of anorexigenic peptides were well conserved in the neonatal chick. The higher food intake observed in broiler chicks can be explained by the lower expression of anorexigenic neuropeptides rather than the higher expression of orexigenic neuropeptides.