A 29-amino acid peptide that is found in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. It inhibits glucose-induced insulin release, hippocampal acetylcholine release, hippocampal glutamate (but not GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID) release, and it lowers spinal excitability and firing of locus coeruleus neurons. It stimulates food (fat) intake and growth hormone release upon hypothalamic or i.c.v. injection. (Crit Rev Neurobiol 1993;7(3-4):229-74).
