Energetics of mice in stable and unstable social conditions: Evidence of an air-borne factor affecting metabolism

Herreid, Clyde Freeman; Schlenker, Evelyn H.

doi:10.1016/s0003-3472(80)80004-2

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…These data are contradictory to those collected by Herreid & Schlenker (1980) and Schlenker & Herreid (1981) who discovered very clear suppression, of up to 35%, in the metabolic rate of the second mouse when connected with the first mouse upstream using an almost identical protocol. The protocol used by Herreid & Schlenker (1980) was superior to that used by us since they employed two gas analysers to estimate the metabolism of both mice independently, whereas we measured only the summed metabolism of the two individuals.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…The most likely explanation for the discrepancy between the current results and those of Herreid & Schlenker (1980) and Schlenker & Herreid (1981) is that the effect detected by them was specific to the strain of mice they studied (RR mice). Unfortunately, we could not obtain this strain of mice to test this possibility.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 98%

“…In part the different results found by Martin et al (1980) and Contreras (1984) may reflect subtle differences in experimental design and the fact that in some circumstances there may be more direct physiological effects of one animal on the metabolism of its immediate neighbours. Herreid & Schlenker (1980) found that if a mouse was placed in a completely separate chamber upstream of a second mouse, the metabolism of the second mouse was suppressed for the duration that the two chambers were connected. These experiments led them to suggest that an airborne factor was responsible for suppressing the metabolism of the second mouse.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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No support for socio‐physiological suppression effect on metabolism of paired white mice (Mus sp.)

Speakman

Rossi

1999

Functional Ecology

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1. Three experiments were performed on white mice (strain MF1) to establish if there was social or physiological suppression of metabolism, mediated by elevated ambient levels of CO2, when animals were in close contact. In the first two experiments the metabolism of two mice were each measured solitarily and paired together in the same chamber, both with and without a partition that allowed visual, auditory and olfactory communication but restricted physical contact. 2. Comparisons were made between the sum of the two solitary measurements, and the observed measurements of paired individuals. In the first experiment air flow was low and ambient CO2 was always at levels predicted to produce suppression (> 0·2%), independent of whether the animals were measured alone or paired. 3. The paired mice had greater metabolism than expected from the sum of their solitary metabolic rates whether the partition was present or absent. This increase was due to increased activity of the animals when in pairs. This experiment indicated that when CO2 levels were maintained in the range 0·2–0·5% there was no social suppression of metabolism. 4. In experiment 2 metabolic rates were measured of solitary mice exposed to subthreshold levels of CO2 (≈ 0·12%) and paired mice that experienced levels above the supposed threshold (≈ 0·24%). Again the observed metabolism of the paired mice exceeded the sum of their metabolic rates when solitary. The increase was also attributable to greater activity of the animals in pairs. 5. This experiment indicated no social suppression effect when CO2 varied in the range 0·12–0·24%. Moreover there was no significant difference between the oxygen consumptions of mice in experiment 2 compared with experiment 1, indicating that independent of the social context there was no suppressive effect of increases in CO2 concentration over the range 0·12–0·5% CO2. 6. Finally, in experiment 3, when two mice were placed in sequential separate chambers (allowing no social contact), their summed metabolism did not differ from the sum of their solitary measurements when a CO2 absorber was placed in the airflow linking the chambers. When the CO2 absorber was absent the observed metabolism of the pair exceeded the sum of the solitary measurements. 7. Overall, across all three experiments no evidence was found for either a social or a physiological suppression of metabolism mediated via CO2 (0·12–0·5%).

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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No support for socio‐physiological suppression effect on metabolism of paired white mice (Mus sp.)

Speakman

Rossi

1999

Functional Ecology

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“…According to Herreid and Schlenker (1980 ), male mice kept individually have a 15% higher metabolic rate than mice kept in stable same gender pairs. In rats it was shown that within the lim its of normothermia BT is relatively stable whilst HR and ACT are more variable (Yang & Gordon 1996 ).…”

Section: Wh Y D O M a Le M Ic E H A Ve A H Ighe R Hr W H E N K E Pt Imentioning

confidence: 99%

“…T hey show alt ered food intake, organ weights and metabolism (Zocchi e t a l. 1994, Grimm e t a l. 1996, Ferrari e t a l. 1998, Ruiz e t a l. 1999 ). Neoplasia as well as tum our growth rate increase and the nature and extent of the im mune response are affec ted after periods of social isolation (Weltman e t a l. 1962, Herreid & Schlenker 1980, Salvin e t a l. 1990, Hoffm an & Arumugam 1992, Karp e t a l. 1993, Grim m e t a l. 1996. T herefore, individual housing has been used as a psychosocial treatm ent that in¯uences the ef®cacy of chemotherapy on tumour growth (Kerr e t a l. 2001 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Higher heart rate of laboratory mice housed individually vs in pairs

et al. 2003

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SummaryMany studies have shown that housing mice individually over a long period signi®cantly alters their physiology, but in most cases measurement has required human interference and restraint for sam pling. Using a radio-telem etry system with implantabl e transmitters, we recorded heart rate (HR), motor activit y (ACT ) and body temperature (BT ) of freely moving male mice (NMRI) housed either individually or in pairs with an ovarectomized female. Data for each param eter were collected at 5 min intervals for two consecutive 24 h periods. Even after several weeks of habit uation to the social conditions, HR was increased in mice housed individually compared with mice housed in pairs, alt hough their measured ACT did not differ. Additionally, BT tended to be reduced in individual ly-housed mice. When the dat a were analysed according to different ACT levels, HR was increased in individually-h oused mice during phases of low and high, but not intermediat e, motor acti vity. Furthermore, individually-h oused mice had more, but shorter, resting bouts, indicating disruption of the normal circadian sleep pattern. Enhanced HR in individually-h oused mice does not necessarily indicate stress, but might be an im portant physiological indicator of discomfort. T he fact that individual housing alters basic physiological param eters in laboratory mice highlights the need to control for housing-dependent variati on, especially in experiments that are sensitive to changes in these parameters. KeywordsHeart rat e; laboratory mouse; housing conditions; individual housing; group housing; social environment; telemetry Laboratory mice are often housed individually to avoid stress or injury due to social con¯ict or to avoid confounding by dominance status. In particular, male mice cannot normally be rehoused with other males after they have been kept alone or with a fem ale. However, the consequences of longterm individual housing for the physiology and well-being of mice are not yet fully understood.A number of studies have shown that social isolation alters the behaviour and physiology of mice. Anxiety and aggressiveness increase in isolated mice, whereas the duration of sleep periods decreases. T hey show alt ered food intake, organ weights and metabolism (Zocchi e t a l. 1994, Grimm e t a l. 1996, Ferrari e t a l. 1998, Ruiz e t a l. 1999 ). Neoplasia as well as tum our growth rate increase and the nature and extent of the im mune response are affec ted after periods of social isolation (Weltman e t a

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