Abstract
The present experiment investigated changes in pituitary-adrenal activity, prolactin and catecholamine synthesizing enzymes in rats exposed to electric shocks in pairs or individually, in comparison to animals receiving no shock and tested in pairs or alone. Pairs of rats repeatedly exposed to electric shocks displayed a lower activation of the pituitary-adrenal system but a stronger activation of the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system than rats shocked individually. There was no differential release of prolactin according to the social setting in which shock occurred. Social factors by themselves influenced plasma corticosterone levels but not plasma levels of ACTH and prolactin nor catecholamine synthesis. These results are discussed in relation to the postulated beneficial effects of fighting on physiological activation produced by electric shock.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 723-729 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Physiology and Behavior |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 1984 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- ACTH
- Adrenal medulla
- Catecholamine synthesis
- Coping
- Corticosterone
- Prolactin
- Rat
- Shock-induced fighting
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience