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Effects of social and non-social acute Stressors on plasma levels of cate-cholamines and corticosterone in wild rats

Modificazioni dei livelli plasmatici di catecolamine e corticosteroidi mdotte da cventi ambientali stressanti di natura sociale e non-sociale net ratio selvatico

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Abstract

Plasma concentrations of noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A) and corticosterone (CORT) were determined in male rats before, during and after 15-min exposure to social stress (defeat experience), novelty stress (presentation of a novel object) and conditioned emotional stress (presentation of a known noxious stimulus). Blood was frequently sampled from freely moving animals via a jugular vein catheter externalized on top of the skull. All three stressful events provoked significant, rapid rises of plasma NA, A and CORT levels over baseline values. However, social stress produced a markedly higher neuroendocrine response as compared to novelty and conditioned emotional stress, both in terms of intensity and duration of the effects. These differences are presumably due to the higher degree of emotional arousal and somatomotor activation provoked by the social challenge.

Riassunto

Sono state misurate 1e modificazioni a breve termine dei livelli plasmatici di catecolamine (noradrenalina, NA; adrenalina, A) e corticosteroidi (corticosterone, CORT) provocate dalla breve esposizione (15 min) a tre contesti ambientali awersi: stress sociale (episodio di sconfitta),novelty stress (presentazione di un oggetto sconosciuto) e stress emozionale condi-zionato (presentazione di un oggetto nocivo conosciuto). I campioni ematici sono stati raccolti mediante una tecnica di cateterismo/prelievo che consente di campionare frequentemente il sangue in animali indi-sturbati e liberi nei movimenti. Le tre condizioni di stress hanno provocato incrementi significativi delle concentrazioni plasmatiche di NA, A e CORT rispetto ai livelli basali. Tuttavia, 1e risposte ormonali indotte dallo stress sociale si sono rivelate significativamente più consistenti rispetto a quelle dovute alnovelty stress e allo stress emozionale condizionato, sia in termini di entità degli incrementi che in termini di durata dell’effetto. Queste differenze sono imputabili sia al maggiore impatto emozionale che al più alto livello di attivazione somatomotoria provocati dallo stress di natura sociale.

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Nella seduta del 15 giugno 1995.

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Sgoifo, A., Papi, F. Effects of social and non-social acute Stressors on plasma levels of cate-cholamines and corticosterone in wild rats. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 6, 289–298 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03001690

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