title: Effect of Overcrowding on Hair Corticosterone Concentrations in Juvenile Male Wistar Rats.
abstract: In many species, chronic stress due to overcrowding during the juvenile period triggers several metabolic and behavioral pathologies in adulthood. The aim of this study was to determine whether a chronic stress condition (overcrowding) induces changes in plasma and hair corticosterone concentrations, overall growth, and organ weights in young Wistar rats. The experimental subjects were divided into 2 groups (control and overcrowded); the overcrowded subjects were exposed to overcrowding during days 38 through 65 after birth. Plasma and hair corticosterone concentrations were higher in overcrowded rats compared with control subjects. In addition, overcrowding reduced body and organ weight gains. These results demonstrate that measuring the concentration of corticosterone in hair samples is an effective, noninvasive method for monitoring chronic stress in rats.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogot, Colombia.
authors.forename: Duvn G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Uarquin
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Jerrold S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogot, Colombia.
authors.forename: Fernando P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Cardenas
authors.affiliation: Departament of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogot, Colombia;, Email: marojasba@unal.edu.co.
authors.forename: Manuel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rojas
mesh_terms: D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013731:Territoriality
chemical_list: D003345:Corticosterone