Stressor effects of adrenaline on the immature fowl.
Chicks were injected with L-adrenaline (500 microgram/kg) thrice weekly from hatching for one, two or three weeks. The growth rate of treated chicks was depressed, particularly in the first week. When four-week-old chicks were given nine injections of adrenaline over a three-week period, growth rate was also depressed but less severely. The greater sensitivity of the younger chicks is thought to result from an immature blood-brain barrier. Relative adrenal mass (mg/kg) was generally increased but adrenal cholesterol depletion occurred only in three-week-old birds treated with adrenaline throughout. Plasma glucose and cholesterole concentrations were within the normal range after three weeks of treatment but there was a significant hypolipacidaemia in the younger birds treated for two or three weeks.
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male
D002784:Cholesterol; D004837:Epinephrine