Abstract
Male Wistar rats were housed in groups of 2, 16, or 30 from 21 to 48 days of age. Each housing condition was factorially combined with one of three levels of dietary protein: 5%, 15%, or 25%. Body weight, brain weight, adrenal weight, and pituitary weight, as well as brain protein concentration, varied directly with protein level in the diet. Indices of neurotransmitter activity and nucleic acid concentrations were not differentially affected. The major effect of differential population density was associated with the combination of largest group size (30) and protein-enriched diet (25%). The large group size tended to minimize the effects of the protein-enriched diet. This combination also produced an increased responsiveness to extrinsic stress, as measured in the open field.
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This research was supported by PHS Grant MH19063-01 to the senior author.
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Bell, R.W., Rolsten, C. Developmental effects of variable population density and dietary protein sufficiency upon morphology, neurochemistry, and behavior in the rat. Psychon Sci 27, 149–150 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03328919
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03328919