1. Ferret Odor as a Processive Stress Model in Rats: Neurochemical, Behavioral, and Endocrine Evidence
- Author
-
Serge Campeau, Cher V. Masini, and Susanne K. Sauer
- Subjects
Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Olfaction ,Adrenocorticotropic hormone ,Biology ,Article ,Rats, Sprague-Dawley ,Behavioral Neuroscience ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Neurochemical ,Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ,Corticosterone ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Animals ,Endocrine system ,RNA, Messenger ,Communication ,business.industry ,musculoskeletal, neural, and ocular physiology ,Ferrets ,Brain ,Rats ,Disease Models, Animal ,Endocrinology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,chemistry ,Odor ,Predatory Behavior ,Odorants ,business ,Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ,Stress, Psychological ,psychological phenomena and processes ,Hormone ,Neuroanatomy - Abstract
Predator odors have been shown to elicit stress responses in rats. The present studies assessed the use of domestic ferret odor as a processive stress model. Plasma corticosterone and adrenocorticotropin hormone levels were higher after 30 min of exposure to ferret odor (fur/skin) but not control odors, ferret feces, urine, or anal gland secretions. Behavioral differences were also found between ferret and the control odors as tested in a defensive withdrawal paradigm. In addition, c-fos messenger RNA expression in several brain areas previously associated with processive stress was significantly higher in ferret odor-exposed rat brains than in control odor-exposed brains. These results suggest that ferret odor produces a reliable unconditioned stress response and may be useful as a processive stress model.
- Published
- 2005