Full text
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| Author(s): |
Rafaela Costa
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | Campinas, SP. |
| Institution: | Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba |
| Defense date: | 2010-02-24 |
| Examining board members: |
Fernanda Klein Marcondes;
Ana Paula Tanno;
Elenice Aparecida de Moraes Ferrari
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| Advisor: | Fernanda Klein Marcondes |
| Abstract | |
Emotional problems such as stress related anxiety and depression, are becoming increasingly present in modern society, and social support, more specifically familiar support, can play an important role in attenuating the effects of various stressors. In animal models environmental enrichment has been used to improve animal welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of environmental enrichment by handling, in rats submitted and those not submitted to chronic stress. In chapter 1 it was shown that handling diminished anxiety, and enhanced learning abilities and memory indicating response in young-adult rats. In chapter 2 the effects of handling on behavioral (anxiety, ahnedonia, learning and memory) and metabolic responses induced by chronic mild unpredictable stress. Whereas stress raised the corticosterone secretion evaluated fifteen days after the end of stress; induced ahnedonia evidenced by a 1% decrease in sucrose preference; increased locomotor activity; had negative effects on learning and memory; and raised the serum concentration of triglycerides, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL). Handling reduced the anxiety in animals both when they were and were not submitted to chronic stress; diminished the corticosterone secretion induced by the stress and cancelled the reduction of learning and memory retention induced by the chronic stress. The results obtained showed that the handling of young-adult rats produced positive behavioral effects capable of improving the animal's welfare and diminishing the deleterious effects induced by chronic stress. (AU) | |