Effects of intracerebroventricular ghrelin on food intake and Fos expression in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus in female rats vary with estrous cycle phase

► Icv ghrelin increased food intake in female rats in diestrus but not in proestrus. ► Ghrelin induced Arc Fos expression more strongly in diestrus than in proestrus. ► Diestrus and proestrus did not differ in GHS-R1a mRNA expression in the hypothalamus.