Seminal and endocrine characteristics of male Pallas’ Cats (Otocolobus manul) maintained under artificial lighting with simulated natural photoperiods
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20127.abs Pallas’ cats (Otocolobus manul) have a pronounced reproductive seasonality controlled by photoperiod. Previous studies of reproduction in captive Pallas’ cats exposed to natural light showed a breeding season of December–April. This study evaluated the impact of artificial lighting timed to simulate natural photoperiods on male reproductive seasonality of four Pallas’ cats housed indoors. […]
Effects of comfort food on food intake, anxiety-like behavior and the stress response in rats
It has been suggested that access to high caloric food attenuates stress response. The present paper investigates whether access to commercial chow enriched with glucose and fat, here referred to as comfort food alters behavioral, metabolic, and hormonal parameters of rats submitted to three daily sessions of foot-shock stress. Food intake, anxiety-like behaviors, and serum […]
Chronic stress, energy balance and adiposity in female rats
Stress preferentially increases the consumption of high fat foods in women, suggesting the interaction of these two factors may disproportionately predispose women toward excess weight gain. In the present study, female rats were exposed to a chronic high fat or chow diet and were exposed to 4 weeks of chronic variable stress (CVS) or served […]
Appetite regulation: The central role of melatonin in Danio rerio
Melatonin is the hormonal mediator of photoperiodic information to the central nervous system in vertebrates and allows the regulation of energy homeostasis through the establishment of a proper balance between energy intake and energy expenditure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of melatonin in appetite central control analyzing the involvement of […]
Chronic restricted access to food leading to undernutrition affects rat neuroendocrine status and olfactory-driven behaviors
Previous studies have demonstrated that olfactory-driven behaviors in rats are influenced by short-term caloric restriction, partly through the modulation of olfactory sensitivity by appetite-modulating hormones or peptides such as insulin and leptin. Here, we addressed the issue of a long-term modulation of their neuroendocrine status by evaluating the effect of chronic food restriction in rats […]
Motivation to obtain a food reward of pregnant ewes in negative energy balance: Behavioural, metabolic and endocrine considerations
Low food availability often coincides with pregnancy in grazing animals. This study investigated how chronic reductions in food intake affected feeding motivation, and metabolic and endocrine parameters in pregnant sheep, which might be indicative of compromised welfare. Ewes with an initial Body Condition Score of 2.7 ± 0.3 (BCS; 0 indicates emaciation and 5 obesity) […]
Metabolic health assessment of zoo elephants: Management factors predicting leptin levels and the glucose-to-insulin ratio and their associations with health parameters
Screening for metabolic-related health problems can enhance animal welfare, so the purpose of this study was to conduct the first metabolic health assessment of zoo elephants and use epidemiological methods to determine how factors in the captive environment were associated with metabolic hormone concentrations. In addition, we examined relationships between metabolic status and several fitness […]