Central L-alanine reduces energy expenditure with a hypnotic effect under an acute stressful condition in neonatal chicks.
Recently, we reported that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of L-alanine attenuated the stress response under an acute stressful condition in chicks. However, no information of L-alanine was available for the influence on energy expenditure and changes in the posture under stressful conditions. The purpose of the present study was to clarify whether central L-alanine affects heat production (HP) of neonatal chicks, and whether HP is correlated with the behavior after isolation-induced stress. The i.c.v. injection of L-alanine (0.8 micromol) decreased oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and HP shortly after injection. Central L-alanine reduced the posture for active wakefulness, but increased the posture for sitting motionless with head drooped (sleeping posture). The present study demonstrates that central L-alanine decreases energy expenditure and causes a hypnotic effect in chicks exposed to an acute stressful condition.
Kurauchi
Isao
I
Laboratory of Advanced Animal and Marine Bioresources, Faculty of Agriculture, Graduate School of Bioresources and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8581, Japan.
Yamane
Haruka
H
Tsuneyoshi
Yousuke
Y
Denbow
D Michael
DM
Furuse
Mitsuhiro
M
D000409:Alanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D000409:Alanine