The neuronal system responsible for the release of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) was examined in rats under food deprivation and restricted daily feeding (RF). The ascending noradrenergic bundle (NAB) of neurons from the brain stem were destructed by microinjection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), and the extracellular NPY level in the PVN was measured by push-pull perfusion. 6-OHDA significantly reduced the extracellular norepinephrine level in the PVN to 15% of the control value when injected into the PVN and to 40% when injected into the midbrain ventral NAB. 6-OHDA administration into the NAB affected neither the deprivation-induced increase nor the feeding-induced decrease in the extracellular NPY. The amount of food intake after refeeding was not changed by the 6-OHDA treatment. On the other hand, 6-OHDA injection into the PVN or NAB not only decreased the extracellular NPY level, the amount of food intake was not change by the 6-OHDA treatment. It is concluded that the NAB is involved in the prefeeding NPY release in rats under RF but not in the deprivation-induced NPY release.