title: Voluntary locomotor activity mitigates oxidative damage associated with isolation stress in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster).
abstract: Organismal performance directly depends on an individual's ability to cope with a wide array of physiological challenges. For social animals, social isolation is a stressor that has been shown to increase oxidative stress. Another physiological challenge, routine locomotor activity, has been found to decrease oxidative stress levels. Because we currently do not have a good understanding of how diverse physiological systems like stress and locomotion interact to affect oxidative balance, we studied this interaction in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). Voles were either pair housed or isolated and within the isolation group, voles either had access to a moving wheel or a stationary wheel. We found that chronic periodic isolation caused increased levels of oxidative stress. However, within the vole group that was able to run voluntarily, longer durations of locomotor activity were associated with less oxidative stress. Our work suggests that individuals who demonstrate increased locomotor activity may be better able to cope with the social stressor of isolation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA.
authors.forename: Kelsey L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA.
authors.forename: Brittany N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Whitley
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Treidel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Jose C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Noguera
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA.
authors.forename: Jennie R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA mfh008@bucknell.edu.
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Haussmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D004249:DNA Damage; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012934:Social Isolation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
keywords: DNA repair; exercise; locomotor activity; oxidative stress; stress