Stress-like responses to common procedures in rats: Effect of the estrous cycle (2002)

Sharp, J. L., Zammit, T. G., Lawson, D. M.

Abstract

Witnessing decapitation of other rats induced cardiovascular responses which were not different from those of rats witnessing other procedures. The cardiovascular responses were not enhanced during proestrus estrus compared to metestrusdiestrus. There were also no significant effects of the estrous cycle on home cage behavior after these procedures. We conclude that cycling female rats show stress-like effects when they are subjected to or witness common husbandry and experimental procedures, but there is little to no effect of the estrous cycle.