Cold-restraint stress increases rat fecal pellet output and colonic transit

Abstract

Increased fecal pellet output that occurs during cold-restraint stress (CRS) was evaluated systematically. Free-feeding rats, which exhibit a reduced occurrence of gastric ulcers under these conditions, were studied. CRS significantly increased fecal pellet production and fluid content. However, the fecal output produced during CRS was not associated with increased gut secretory activity or somatic motor activity associated with cold restraint and did not occur in anesthetized animals. Cold and restraint stress were additive in producing increased fecal output. Significant dose-related decreases in fecal output were produced by drugs that decrease gut transit (i.e., B-HT 920, clonidine, Lomotil, loperamide, and lidamidine). Anticholinergic-antisecretory drugs, antidepressants, and tranquilizers had little effect on fecal output or fluid content. Changes in gastrointestinal transit did not contribute to the increased fecal output during CRS. Transit in the lower small intestine was not altered, but the cecum tended to empty more contents into the large intestine during CRS. Colonic transit was dramatically affected by CRS, which eliminated retrograde transit and produced the evacuation of the majority of colonic contents. The increased colonic transit produced by CRS was decreased in a dose-related fashion by hexamethonium, nifedipine, loperamide, and B-HT 920. In several time-response and drug-inhibition studies during CRS, both fecal pellet output and colonic transit were affected similarly. These data indicate that CRS appears to change central nervous system output to the colon and that it alters colonic smooth muscle motility in a manner that facilitates colonic transit and evacuation. Small intestinal transit is not involved in this phenomenon and is regulated differently during CRS.

The Function of 5‐HT3 Receptors on Colonic Transit in Rats

“…Barone et al reported that coldrestraint stress increased fecal output and colonic transit in rats (1). They concluded that increased colonic transit is the major factor involved in defecation induced by cold-restraint stress.…”

Psychological Stress can Trigger Atopic Dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice: An Inhibitory Effect of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor

“…The number of fecal pellets expelled by each mouse per hour during WAS or during the same period for the control group while in their cages was used as an indirect measure of colonic motility, as previously described (Barone et al, 1990;Monnikes et al, 1993).…”

“…The number of fecal pellets reflects the degree of stress (Barone et al, 1990). Figure 5 shows the number of fecal pellets per hour in SPF WAS mice and SPF control mice.…”

Novelty Stress Increases Fecal Pellet Output in Mongolian Gerbils: Effects of Several Drugs

“…In humans and experimental animals, many reports have indicated that stress affects gastric emptying, gastric secretion, intestinal transit, and colonic motility (1,2). In the colon, stress has been reported to stimulate motility via the activation of autonomic neurons, increasing fecal pellet output, or diarrhea (3,4). To evaluate the relationship between stress and lower intestinal or colonic motility, several experimental models such as cage-restraint, wrap-restraint, and water-avoidance stress models have been used (5,6).…”