Corticosterone response in the chick separation-stress paradigm

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2003

Abstract

Corticosterone response to separation stress and its sensitivity to the anxiolytic, chlordiazepoxide (CDP), were examined in 7-day-old domestic fowl (Gallus gallus). Saline or CDP (8.0 mg/kg) was injected intramuscularly 30 min before tests. Chicks were placed in isolation either with or without mirrors for a 15-min observation period, in which distress vocalizations were recorded. After testing, chicks were euthanized and blood was collected for the corticosterone assay. Chicks tested in the No-Mirror condition displayed an increase in vocalizations that was attenuated by CDP. Similarly, corticosterone levels were highest in chicks tested in the No-Mirror condition; however, CDP only modestly attenuated corticosterone levels. The present findings demonstrate that corticosterone levels parallel the behavioral marker of distress vocalizations in this paradigm, but this biological marker may be less sensitive than the behavioral marker to benzodiazepine anxiolytic manipulations. © 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

DOI

10.1016/S0031-9384(03)00030-1

First Page

489

Last Page

493

Volume

78

Issue

3

Publication Title

Physiology and Behavior

ISSN

00319384

Comments

At the time of publication, Jason E. Warnick was affiliated with University of Mississippi.

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