Adrenocortical responses of pigeons (Columba livia) to treadwheel exercise.
Voluntary flight has previously been observed to stimulate adrenocortical activity in pigeons and in the present study increased circulating corticosterone levels were observed in adult feral pigeons forced to exercise in a treadwheel. The magnitude of the corticosterone response to treadwheel exercise was related to the speed of the moving drum, and hence to the work rate involved. Rapidly increasing the ambient temperature also stimulated corticosterone secretion in pigeons and masked the stimulatory effect of exercise. Treadwheel locomotion may serve as a laboratory model for the endocrine physiology of exercise and complements studies on flight.
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D010856:Columbidae / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005426:Flight, Animal; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone