Stress response in mice to a stressful situation experienced by another cage mate (2004)

Einstein, R.

Abstract

We have just finished a study of the effects on cage mates when balb/c mice are handled/weighed or subjected to 1 hour restraint stress and then returned to the cage. We did this once daily for 14 days. The cage mates were not touched and had implanted telemetry transmitters to monitor heart rate and temperature.After the mice were returned to the cage following weighing [The caught mice were removed from the cage for less than a minute -just enough time to weigh them and then they were returned to the cage.], the heart rates of the untouched cage mates increased from about 450/minute and peaked at ~ 600/min after about 15 min, then returned.While mice were being restrained for 1 hour (in the same room), the heart rates of the untouched cage mates peaked at about 650/min at about 15 minutes into the restraint period. By the end of the 1 hour restraint period, heart rates of the untouched cage mates had returned to control. The restrained animals were then returned to the cage. The heart rates of the untouched cage mates rose again, peaked at 675/minute and took another hour to recover. This was the only increase which showed any adaptation - so that after 14 days heart rate only rose to about 500/min and was back to normal within about 20 min.A similar pattern of results was found for the rise in body.