Individual housing influences certain biochemical parameters in the rat

Pérez, Carmen; Canal, J. R.; Domı́nguez, Elisa; Campillo, J. E.; Guillen, M. T.; Torres, M.D.

doi:10.1258/002367797780596158

Cited by 55 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…They found that PH rats weighed 17% less than the standard-housed rats at the end of their study. It could be argued that individually-housed rats eat more (Fiala et al 1977, Pérez et al 1997, but that was not the case in this study, or in the study by Augustsson et al (2002). This implies that the environment in the pen stimulated physical activity.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 66%

Housing-related activity in rats: effects on body weight, urinary corticosterone levels, muscle properties and performance

et al. 2005

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SummaryThe cage systems commonly used for housing laboratory rats often result in sedentary and overweight animals, as a consequence of restricted opportunities for physical activity combined with ad libitum feeding. This can have implications both for animal well-being and for the experimental outcome. Physical activity has several known positive effects on health and lifespan, and physical fitness might therefore be incorporated into the animal welfare concept. The aim of this study was to investigate if and how pen housing affects the physical activity and fitness of rats. Thirty-two juvenile male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to two different housing systems for a 4-week period. Sixteen rats were kept individually in standard Makrolon type III cages (42 ϫ26 ϫ18 cm) furnished with black plastic tubes (singly-housed, SI). The remaining rats were kept in groups of eight, housed in large floor pens (150 ϫ210 cm), which were furnished with various objects to increase environmental complexity (pen-housed, PH). The body weight gain, and food and water intake of the rats were measured. During weeks 3 or 4, home cage behaviour, urinary cortiosterone/ creatinine ratios (CO/CR), and muscle strength on an inclined plane, were measured. Enzyme activities and glycogen content were measured in tissue samples from m. triceps brachii taken after euthanization at the end of the study. There were no significant differences between groups for food and water intake, but PH rats weighed 14% less than SI rats after 4 weeks, and PH rats also had a more diverse behavioural pattern than SI rats. PH rats had significantly higher oxidative capacity (28% more citrate synthase (CS)) and greater glycogen content (28%) in their muscle samples than SI rats. The PH rats performed significantly better on the inclined plane, both in the muscle strength test (mean angle 75 Ϯ0.5°f or PH rats and 69 Ϯ0.4°for SI rats) and the endurance strength test (mean time 233 Ϯ22 s for PH rats and 73 Ϯ14 s for SI rats). There was a negative correlation between body weight and results on the inclined plane for the PH rats. There were no significant differences between housing types with respect to CO/CR ratios. In conclusion, the large pen represents an environment that stimulates physical activity and more varied behaviour, which should be beneficial for the welfare of the animal.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 66%

Housing-related activity in rats: effects on body weight, urinary corticosterone levels, muscle properties and performance

et al. 2005

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“…Previous studies reported that, social isolation of the rodents stimulates feeding and produces weight gain. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Similarly, in this study, social isolation of rats produced increase in food intake and body weight as compared with the group-housed rats. However, the increase in food intake of socially isolated rats reached statistically significant level by third week, whereas body weight gain showed a significant difference by fourth week.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…1,2 Numerous studies have reported an increase in food intake and body weight following social isolation of weaning or adult rodents. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] On the other hand, re-socialization of isolation-reared rats resulted in the decreased food consumption and body weight. [10][11][12] Social isolation is known to induce profound changes in a range of endogenous neurotransmitter systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Central regulation of feeding behavior during social isolation of rat: evidence for the role of endogenous CART system

et al. 2010

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Objective: Although hyperphagia and body weight gain are well-recognized consequences of social isolation, the underlying mechanisms are not understood. The aim of this work is to test the possibility that the endogenous cocaine-and amphetamineregulated transcript peptide (CART) may be involved in the process. Design: Socially isolated rats were screened for increase in food intake and body weight, and the modifications of these parameters by CART were evaluated. Furthermore, isolated animals were re-socialized and screened for reversal of these effects. Response of the endogenous CART system, in certain hypothalamic nuclei of the isolated and re-socialized rats, was evaluated with immunohistochemistry. Subjects: Fifty days old naive male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Measurements: The effects of CART/CART antibody on the social isolation and subsequent re-socialization on feeding and body weight changes were monitored. Moreover, the immunohistochemical response of endogenous CART system to social isolation and re-socialization was analyzed morphometrically. Results: While social isolation of rats for a period of 6 weeks caused progressive increase in food consumption and body weight gain, these rats showed a significant reduction in food intake and body weight when injected daily with CART via intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) route, for the following 7 days. The re-socialization of isolated rats reduced food intake and body weight to the control levels. These effects of re-socialization were attenuated by immunoneutralization of the endogenous CART by i.c.v. CART antibody. Social isolation also resulted in a drastic reduction in CART immunoreactivity in the cells and/or fibers in the hypothalamic areas like dorsomedial, ventromedial, lateral, paraventricular and arcuate nuclei, recognized for their role in feeding. On the other hand, the CART immunoreactivity profile was fully restored following 7 days of re-socialization of the isolation-reared rats. Conclusion: Social isolation might down-regulate the hypothalamic CART-containing system, which in turn may lead to increase in food intake and body weight.

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“…On the other hand, food intake in SWR females (restrictedly fed during the suckling and weaning period) did not significantly differ in a new environment under different social conditions, suggesting that these rats might not have acquired a normal feeding behaviour. As noted previously, decreased feeding and social depression were found in group-housed rats and mice in contrast to singly-housed animals (Ewer, 1968;Fiala et al, 1977;Pérez et al, 1997). Our experiment, however, proved this fact not to be a phenomenon that would be stable for the given population.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…For instance, Ewer (1968) demonstrated social depression and decreased feeding for rats and mice in group-housing conditions in contrast to individually housed animals. Galef (1992) and Pérez et al (1997) observed increased food intake in individually housed rats, in contrast to animals housed in groups. However, the role of housing in the development of feeding disorders is controversial.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Effect of early nutritional experience on the feeding behaviour of adult female rats

Šefčíková¹,

Mózeš²

2002

Vet. Med. - Czech

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In the present paper the effect of postnatal undernutrition on feeding behaviour has been evaluated in mature female Wistar rats subjected to food restriction a) during the suckling period, i. e. up to day 15 (SR), b) during the weaning period from day 15 to 30 (WR), c) throughout 30 days post partum (SWR) and d) during adulthood, i. e. from day 60-75 of life (AR). In comparison with the ad libitum fed controls (C), the lactating mothers and the pups of the food-restricted groups were allowed free access to food for only two hours daily. In experimental groups this restriction was then changed to an ad libitum regime. On day 90 food intake was evaluated daily in five 20 min lasting sessions after 23 h of fasting in group-housed and single-housed rats exposed to their home as well as to their experimental environment. e significantly decreased body weight found on day 30 and 90 in females coming from litters of restrictedly fed mothers, as compared with those fed ad libitum, showed that these animals were considerably undernourished. Appetitive motivation increased in those groups of females that had been exposed to a restricted feeding regime during their infant period but remained unaffected in females restrictedly fed during their adult age. In comparison with the ad libitum fed controls and AR groups, significantly increased mean food intake was observed in all postnatally underfed groups (P < 0.001). e greatest inclination to hyperphagia and qualitative changes in feeding behaviour were observed in SWR females whose feeding regime was restricted for the longest time, i. e. during the suckling and the weaning period, as compared to groups with shorter food restriction. ese animals showed hyperphagia even in the new environment regardless whether the whole group or only one female was tested. Our results reveal a) a determinant influence of the feeding regime of the animals at early age (41%) while environmental and social factors represent only about 17% and 4%, respectively and that b) changes in feeding habits in adult female rats may significantly depend on the length of postnatal undernutrition.

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Individual housing influences certain biochemical parameters in the rat

Cited by 55 publications

References 10 publications

Housing-related activity in rats: effects on body weight, urinary corticosterone levels, muscle properties and performance

Housing-related activity in rats: effects on body weight, urinary corticosterone levels, muscle properties and performance

Central regulation of feeding behavior during social isolation of rat: evidence for the role of endogenous CART system

Effect of early nutritional experience on the feeding behaviour of adult female rats

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