A comparative analysis of feeding and hoarding in hamsters and gerbils

Male and female hamsters and gerbils were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The animals were tested under ad lib feeding conditions or food deprived until they had lost either 10% or 20% of their predeprivation body weight. They were given a 30-min. hoarding test for three consecutive days. The results indicated that although food-deprived gerbils ate more than control gerbils, deprivation had no significant effect on the food intake of hamsters. A sex difference was also evident in the food intake of gerbils; males ate more than did females. Although there was a sex and species difference in the amount of hoarding, deprivation had no significant effect on the amount of hoarding. The implications of these results for of different models of hoarding are discussed. These models contrast hoarding as a defensive response in the regulation of body weight or as an anticipatory activity that is influenced by other selection pressures.     

Hoarding versus the immediate consumption of food among hamsters and gerbils

This project dealt with a comparative analysis of the effects of food deprivation on feeding and hoarding in hamsters and gerbils. The animals were given food in their home cage and their food intake was measured during a 30-min period after which they were transferred to an apparatus in which hoarding behaviour was assessed. The results indicated interesting species differences in the animals' reactions in the test situations. Whereas food-deprived gerbils ate more food than nondeprived gerbils, the food intake of hamsters was not significantly enhanced by deprivation. In the hoarding test, although significant differences were observed between deprived and nondeprived gerbils, the absolute level of hoarding in gerbils was very low in comparison to that of hamsters tested under the same conditions. These results suggest that hamsters and gerbils respond to challenges to their food reserves with different strategies.     

Adrenal hormones mediate melatonin-induced increases in aggression in male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)

Among the suite of seasonal adaptations displayed by nontropical rodents, some species demonstrate increased territorial aggression in short compared with long day lengths despite basal levels of testosterone. The precise physiological mechanisms mediating seasonal changes in aggression, however, remain largely unknown. The goal of the present study was to examine the role of melatonin, as well as adrenal hormones, in the regulation of seasonal aggression in male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). In Experiment 1, male Siberian hamsters received either daily (s.c.) injections of melatonin (15 microg/day) or saline 2 h before lights out for 10 consecutive days. In Experiment 2, hamsters received adrenal demedullations (ADMEDx), whereas in Experiment 3 animals received adrenalectomies (ADx); control animals in both experiments received sham surgeries. Animals in both experiments subsequently received daily injections of melatonin or vehicle as in Experiment 1. Animals in all experiments were tested using a resident-intruder model of aggression. In Experiment 1, exogenous melatonin treatment increased aggression compared with control hamsters. In Experiment 2, ADMEDx had no effect on melatonin-induced aggression. In Experiment 3, the melatonin-induced increase in aggression was significantly attenuated by ADx. Collectively, the results of the present study demonstrate that short day-like patterns of melatonin increase aggression in male Siberian hamsters and suggest that increased aggression is due, in part, to changes in adrenocortical steroids.     

Short days and exogenous melatonin increase aggression of male Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

Many nontropical rodent species rely on photoperiod as a primary cue to coordinate seasonally appropriate changes in physiology and behavior. Among these changes, some species of rodents demonstrate increased aggression in short, "winter-like" compared with long "summer-like" day lengths. The precise neuroendocrine mechanisms mediating changes in aggression, however, remain largely unknown. The goal of the present study was to examine the effects of photoperiod and exogenous melatonin on resident-intruder aggression in male Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). In Experiment 1, male Syrian hamsters were housed in long (LD 14:10) or short (LD 10:14) days for 10 weeks. In Experiment 2, hamsters were housed in long days and half of the animals were given daily subcutaneous melatonin injections (15 microg/day in 0.1 ml saline) 2 h before lights out for 10 consecutive days to simulate a short-day pattern of melatonin secretion, while the remaining animals received injections of the vehicle alone. Animals in both experiments were then tested using a resident-intruder model of aggression and the number of attacks, duration of attacks, and latency to initial attack were recorded. In Experiment 1, short-day hamsters underwent gonadal regression and displayed increased aggression compared with long-day animals. In Experiment 2, melatonin treatment also increased aggression compared with control hamsters without affecting circulating testosterone. Collectively, the results of the present study demonstrate that exposure to short days or short day-like patterns of melatonin increase aggression in male Syrian hamsters. In addition, these results suggest that photoperiodic changes in aggression provide an important, ecologically relevant model with which to study the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying aggression in rodents.     

Conditioned defeat in male and female Syrian hamsters

A brief exposure to social defeat in male Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) leads to profound changes in the subsequent agonistic behavior exhibited by the defeated animals. Following defeat in the home cage of an aggressive conspecific, male hamsters will subsequently fail to defend their home territory even if the intruder is a smaller, nonaggressive male. This phenomenon has been called conditioned defeat. In Experiment 1, we examined the duration of conditioned defeat by repeatedly testing (every 3-5 days) defeated hamsters with a nonaggressive intruder. We found that conditioned defeat occurs in all defeated male hamsters and persists for a prolonged period of time (at least 33 days) in the majority of male hamsters tested despite the fact that these animals are never attacked by the nonaggressive intruders. In Experiment 2, we examined whether conditioned defeat could be induced in female Syrian hamsters. While conditioned defeat occurred in some females, they displayed only low levels of submissive/defensive behavior and, in contrast to males, the conditioned defeat response did not persist beyond the first test. These results suggest that in male hamsters conditioned defeat is a profound, persistent behavioral change characterized by a total absence of territorial aggression and by the frequent display of submissive and defensive behaviors. Conversely, social defeat in female hamsters does not appear to induce long-term behavioral changes. Finally, in Experiment 3, we determined that plasma adrenocorticotropin-like immunoreactivity increases in females following social defeat in a manner similar to that seen in males, suggesting that the disparate behavioral reactions of males and females are not due to sex differences in the release of, or response to, plasma adrenocorticotropin.     

Hormonal Responses of Male Gerbils to Stimuli from Their Mate and Pups

Following copulation and cohabitation with a pregnant female, male gerbils show high levels of parental behavior toward their pups. The initiation of male parental behavior may be the result of neuroendocrine changes induced by cohabiting with the pregnant female or by pup stimuli. Experiment 1 examines the changes in androgen and prolactin levels in male gerbils cohabiting with females over the reproductive cycle. Gerbils were mated and blood samples taken from males for hormone analysis 1, 10, and 20 days after pairing and 3, 10, and 20 days after pups were born. A group of unmated male gerbils served as controls. Plasma prolactin levels of males were elevated throughout the female's pregnancy and lactation periods, but were only statistically significantly higher than those of unmated males 20 days after pups were born. Androgen levels rose during pregnancy and dropped significantly after the birth of the pups. These hormonal changes are similar to those found in males of monogamous birds and differ from those found in males of polygynous rodents such as the rat. Experiment 2 examined the hormonal responses of male and female gerbils to pup replacement after 4 hr of parent–pup separation. Female gerbils showed a significant elevation of prolactin levels 1 hr after pup replacement, but males did not. Males with pups returned showed no difference in androgen levels from males who did not have pups returned. Thus, male gerbils show neuroendocrine changes following long-term cohabitation with their mate and pups, but do not show acute hormone responses to pup removal and replacement. These results indicate that parental males have neuroendocrine changes associated with parental behavior and these differ from the neuroendocrine changes underlying female parental behavior.     

Short-day increases in aggression are independent of circulating gonadal steroids in female Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)

Among the suite of adaptations displayed by seasonally-breeding rodents, individuals of most species display reproductive regression and concomitant decreases in gonadal steroids during the winter. In addition, some species display increased aggression in short "winter-like" days compared with long "summer-like" day lengths. For example, male Syrian and Siberian hamsters held in short days express heightened levels of aggression that are independent of gonadal steroids. Virtually nothing is known, however, regarding seasonal aggression in female Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). Studies were undertaken to determine female levels of aggression in long and short days as well as the role of gonadal steroids in mediating this behavior. In Experiment 1, females were housed in long or short days for 10 weeks and resident-intruder aggression was assessed. Prior to testing, estrous cycle stages were determined by vaginal cytology and females were tested during both Diestrus I and Proestrus. In Experiment 2, hormone levels were experimentally manipulated; long-day females were ovariectomized (OVx) or given sham surgeries whereas short-day females were implanted with capsules containing 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) or Progesterone (P). In Experiment 3, both long- and short-day females were ovariectomized and implanted with either an exogenous E(2) or blank capsule, or given a sham surgery. Short-day hamsters displayed increased aggression relative to long-day females. Aggression was not affected by estrous stage. There was no difference in aggression between long-day OVx and sham animals. Furthermore, neither exogenous E(2) nor P had any significant effect on aggression. These results support previous findings of increased non-breeding aggression and suggest that short-day aggression is not likely mediated by circulating levels of gonadal steroids. These results also suggest that the endocrine regulation of seasonal aggression may be similar between the sexes.     

Tissue norepinephrine concentration in spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamsters

There is some controversy concerning a possible effect of diabetes mellitus on the sympathetic nervous system in humans with spontaneous diabetes mellitus and in animals with experimental diabetes mellitus. In this study we compared the tissue norepinephrine (NE) concentration of normal and diabetic Chinese hamsters in the untreated state and after treatment with insulin. Diabetes resulted in a 128% increase in the NE concentration of the kidney in female but not male hamsters. The NE concentration was increased in the liver (133%) and in the cerebral cortex (118%) of both male and female hamsters. There was no significant increase in the NE concentration of hypothalamus, acinar pancreas, pancreatic islets, or heart of diabetic hamsters. Three days of insulin therapy reduced the elevated NE concentration in kidney, liver and cerebral cortex of diabetic hamsters to the levels found in normal hamsters. However, insulin therapy of normal hamsters did not reduce the tissue NE concentration of the kidney, liver, and cerebral cortex below the normal levels found in these animals. Insulin therapy reduced the hypothalamic concentration of NE in both diabetic and normal hamsters. The increase in kidney NE concentration in female diabetic hamsters was not due to a reduction in renal size, for the kidneys of both female and male diabetic hamsters were larger than those of normal hamsters. When synthesis of NE was inhibited with alpha-methyltyrosine, there was a comparable rate of fall in the tissue NE concentration in the four experimental groups, suggesting that the increased tissue NE concentration in the tissues of diabetic hamsters was not due to a decreased rate of disappearance of this compound.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Sex-influenced population kinetics of Leishmania donovani in hamsters

Susceptibility of animals to infections depends upon various factors including sex of the host which plays a pivotal role. The intake of L. donovani was investigated in male and female hamsters as also in gonadectomized and hormone (sex) treated animals. Male hamsters developed more parasites (55/100 cell nuclei) than their female counterparts (22/100 cell nuclei). The hamsters receiving testosterone (250 micrograms/animal for 7 days) exogenously (im) had enhanced parasitic count (1.1-fold in male and 1.5-fold in females with respect to their respective controls). Administration of estradiol (3 micrograms/animal for 3 days) suppressed the infection in males by 2.5-fold and in female by 1.94-fold. Castration lowered the parasite 'in take' while ovarectomy promoted infection. In these (gonadectomized) animals the administration of testosterone in males restored parasite load while the estradiol therapy in females suppressed the infection. The results suggest a definite modulatory role of sex hormone, in the susceptibility of hamsters to L. donovani infection.     

Photoperiodic modulation of sexual and aggressive behavior in female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus): role of the pineal gland

Pinealectomized female hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) housed in a short-day photoperiod were ovariectomized and tested for hormone-induced sexual receptivity in order to investigate the role of the pineal gland in the control of behavioral sensitivity to exogenous ovarian steroid hormones (Experiment 1). Behavioral sensitivity to hormones was further investigated in females maintained in a long-day photoperiod and rendered acyclic by daily administration of exogenous melatonin (Experiment 2). Female aggressive behavior was also monitored in all tests. Pinealectomy did not affect the reduced behavioral sensitivity to exogenous estrogen (E) induced by short days. These animals were also partially refractory to the effects of E when combined with low doses of progesterone. In addition, although melatonin administration mimicked the effects of short days on estrous cyclicity, the expression of hormone-dependent behaviors in these animals resembled the pattern displayed by control animals kept in long days. Thus, these findings suggest that the pineal gland plays a negligible role in the photoperiodic modulation of hormone-dependent sociosexual behaviors in female hamsters.     

Melatonin-induced suppression of gonadotropin titers in male golden hamsters: Effect on gonadal feedback mechanisms

Daily subcutaneous injections of melatonin cause testicular regression and a decline in circulating gonadotropin levels in male hamsters maintained on long photoperiods. We examine here if a reduction in gonadotropin levels also occurs in castrates administered melatonin and if melatonin-regressed hamsters respond to castration with an increased release of pituitary gonadotropins — a typical “castration response.” Groups of intact and castrated male hamsters maintained on a photoperiod of LD 14:10 received subcutaneous injections of 15 ug melatonin/day. Controls received vehicle only. After 7 weeks of injections the intact males were castrated. All animals were sacrificed a few days later and serum was assayed for gonadotropin titers. Melatonin injections caused a marked decline in serum gonadotropins in castrates and in intact males also caused testicular regression. In the latter, no “castration response” was observed upon removal of the testes. Thus, daily injections of melatonin depress serum gonadotropins in castrate and intact males and block the castration-associated rise in circulating gonadotropins in the latter.     

Ethanol suppression of naloxone-induced withdrawal in morphine-dependent rats

The technique of morphine pellet implantation was used to produce physical dependence on morphine in male rats. The number of “wet dog” shakes occurring within a period of 30 minutes during naloxone-precipitated (1.0 mg/kg, s.c.) withdrawal in four-day morphine implanted rats was determined after either acute or chronic treatment with ethanol. An acute dose of ethanol administered prior to withdrawal had no significant effect on the withdrawal response whereas chronic administration of ethanol during the development of dependence on morphine significantly suppressed the naloxone-precipitated withdrawal response to 44–57 percent of the control response. Analysis of brain and plasma for morphine concentration four days following dependence development showed no significant differences between morphine controls and those animals treated with both morphine and ethanol. Pentobarbital, another central nervous system depressant, demonstrated no effect on the withdrawal response, whether administered acutely or chronically during the development of dependence.     

Gender difference in enzymes related with alcohol consumption in hamster,an avid consumer of alcohol

Syrian golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is extraordinary among laboratory rodents in its ability to drink alcohol. After being given a free choice between 15% ethanol and water for 5 days, both male and female hamsters derived at least 85% of the fluid intake from the ethanol solution. Analysis of the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes in alcohol-na??ve hamsters showed that the male had a higher activity of 57%, 58% and 34% in stomach alcohol dehydrogenase, liver cytochrome P450 1A2 and liver aldehyde dehydrogenase, respectively, compared with the female. The activity of lung angiotensin-converting enzyme, which influence fluid intake, was twofold higher in the male. After 4 weeks of ethanol consumption, the activities of the hepatic alcohol-metabolizing enzymes remained unchanged except cytochrome P450 2E1 which increased 42% and 88% in male and female hamsters, respectively. A reduction of ～80% in the activity of cytochrome P450 1A2 was observed in both genders. The activities of several other cytochrome P450 enzymes were also decreased. Although ethanol consumption did not increase plasma aminotransferase levels, it caused a significant increase in liver weight in female, but not male hamsters.     

The distribution of water in the intracellular and extracellular compartments and the lipid and protein composition of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) during water deprivation.

1. The plasma, interstitial, extracellular and intracellular volumes fell to similar extents after 5 days of water deprivation in male and female gerbils. There was no selective plasma volume conservation. 2. The female gerbils lost more weight on water deprivation yet the total body water loss was very similar to that in the male animals. While there was a small fall in the protein content of the male animals the extra loss of weight in the females appeared to be due to the considerable catabolism of lipid stores.     

Effects of gonadal hormones on eating and body weight in mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

The effects of gonadal steroids on food intake and body weight were studied in Mongolian gerbils. Orchiectomy of adult male gerbils caused significant increases in body weight but had no detectable effect on food intake. Treatment with testosterone propionate or 5α-dihydrotestosterone propionate (100 μg/day) had no effect on food intake or body weight of orchiectomized males, but withdrawal of exogenous androgen treatment had the same effect as orchiectomy, increased body weight with no increase in food intake. Treatment with estradiol benzoate (EB; 2 μg/day) increased food intake and body weight of ovariectomized gerbils, but progesterone (1 mg/day) had no effect on these measures when given by itself. However, when progesterone was given concurrently with EB it synergized with the estrogen and further increased eating and body weight. These results are contrasted with previous work in other mammalian species.     

Effects of unilateral adrenalectomy on the remaining adrenal cortex of adrenocorticotropic hormone-treated male and female hamsters

Sham-operated and unilaterally adrenalectomized male and female hamsters were administered 25 micrograms adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) for 5 days after the operation in order to examine the effects of ACTH on compensatory adrenal growth. In ACTH-treated male and female hamsters, unilateral adrenalectomy did not change the relative weight of the remaining adrenal. There were no significant differences in the volumes of the adrenocortical zones and their parenchymal cells, as well as in the number of adrenocortical cells per gland if compared with unilaterally adrenalectomized and sham-operated ACTH-treated male hamsters, while 3H-thymidine incorporation per gland was lower in monoadrenalectomized animals. On the contrary, in ACTH-treated females, unilateral adrenalectomy resulted in a significant hypertrophy of zona fasciculata cells and in an enhanced 3H-thymidine uptake by the remaining gland. These findings stress the existence of notable sex-related differences in the compensatory adrenal growth in hamsters.     

Chronic social stress in puberty alters appetitive male sexual behavior and neural metabolic activity

Repeated social subjugation in early puberty lowers testosterone levels. We used hamsters to investigate the effects of social subjugation on male sexual behavior and metabolic activity within neural systems controlling social and motivational behaviors. Subjugated animals were exposed daily to aggressive adult males in early puberty for postnatal days 28 to 42, while control animals were placed in empty clean cages. On postnatal day 45, they were tested for male sexual behavior in the presence of receptive female. Alternatively, they were tested for mate choice after placement at the base of a Y-maze containing a sexually receptive female in one tip of the maze and an ovariectomized one on the other. Social subjugation did not affect the capacity to mate with receptive females. Although control animals were fast to approach females and preferred ovariectomized individuals, subjugated animals stayed away from them and showed no preference. Cytochrome oxidase activity was reduced within the preoptic area and ventral tegmental area in subjugated hamsters. In addition, the correlation of metabolic activity of these areas with the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and anterior parietal cortex changed significantly from positive in controls to negative in subjugated animals. These data show that at mid-puberty, while male hamsters are capable of mating, their appetitive sexual behavior is not fully mature and this aspect of male sexual behavior is responsive to social subjugation. Furthermore, metabolic activity and coordination of activity in brain areas related to sexual behavior and motivation were altered by social subjugation.     

Food restriction and refeeding have no effect on cellular and humoral immunity in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Small mammals in the temperate area often face fluctuations in food availability. Changes in food availability may have a great influence on an animals' immunity, which is important to their survival. We tested the hypothesis that cellular and humoral immunity would be suppressed by food restriction and restored to control levels by refeeding in Mongolian gerbils Meriones unguiculatus. Forty adult male gerbils were randomly divided into food-restricted (80% of baseline food intake) and food ad lib. groups. Similarly, another 40 adult male gerbils were also randomly assigned to two groups: a group for which food was restricted for 36 d and then provided ad lib. and a group that was continuously fed ad lib. Half of the gerbils in each group were injected with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and keyhole limpet hemocyanin solution to assess cellular and humoral immunity, respectively; the others were injected with sterile saline as control groups. Food-restricted gerbils had significantly lower body mass, body fat mass, dry thymus mass, wet and dry spleen mass, and serum leptin levels than those of the controls, whereas refeeding restored these parameters to the controls. Both food restriction and refeeding had no significant effect on PHA response indicative of cellular immunity, immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M concentrations, and white blood cells. We also found that food restriction decreased corticosterone levels in food-restricted gerbils, while refeeding increased corticosterone levels in refed gerbils compared with the controls. Our results suggest that cellular and humoral immunity were not affected by food restriction and refeeding in gerbils.     

Persistent pain model reveals sex difference in morphine potency

Central or systemic administration of agonists directed at the mu or delta opiate receptors generally produce a greater degree of analgesia in males than in females. To date, most studies examining sex-based differences in opioid analgesia have used acute noxious stimuli (i.e., tail-flick and hot plate test); thus the potential dimorphic response of centrally acting opiates in the alleviation of persistent inflammatory pain is not well established. In the present study, right hind paw withdrawal latency (PWL) to radiant thermal stimuli was measured in intact male and cycling female Sprague-Dawley rats before and after unilateral hind paw injection of the inflammatory agent complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Control animals received intraplantar injection of saline. Twenty four hours after CFA or saline injection, animals received either saline or morphine bisulfate (0.5-15 mg/kg sc). Separate groups of control or inflamed animals were tested on their responsiveness to morphine at 7, 14, and 21 days post-CFA or saline. No sex differences were noted for baseline PWLs, and females displayed slightly less thermal hyperalgesia at 24 h post-CFA. At all morphine doses administered, both the antihyperalgesic effects of morphine in the inflamed animals and the antinociceptive effects of morphine in control animals were significantly greater in males compared with females. Similarly, in males, the antihyperalgesic effects of morphine increased significantly at 7-21 days post-CFA; no significant shift in morphine potency was noted for females. These studies demonstrate sex-based differences in the effects of morphine on thermal hyperalgesia in a model of persistent inflammatory pain.     

Excretion of electrolytes, free cortisol and aldosterone-18-oxo-glucuronide in 24-hr urines of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus): effect of lysine-vasopressin and adrenocorticotrophin administration, and of changes in sodium balance

1. Administration of lysine-vasopressin (LVP, 1 IU/animal) strongly reduced electrolyte excretion in 24 hr urines of adult male Mongolian gerbils, but had no effect on free cortisol (C) or aldosterone-18-oxo-glucuronide (Aldo-gluc.) excretion. 2. (1-24) ACTH, given at a dosage of 20 IU/animal, increased C and Aldo-gluc. excretion but did not influence electrolyte excretion. 3. Fluid intake and potassium excretion were decreased in animals offered a control or a sodium-deficient diet; contrasting, excretion of C was stimulated. 4. In contrast to other rodents, Aldo-gluc. excretion showed no changes in Mongolian gerbils offered a sodium-deficient diet, but was diminished in animals either fed a control diet or given saline (154 mmol/l) as drinking water.