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Effects of handling regime and sex on changes in cortisol, thyroid hormones and body mass in fasting grey seal pups.
Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2012 Jan; 161(1):69-76.CB

Abstract

Survival of seal pups may be affected by their ability to respond appropriately to stress. Chronic stress can adversely affect secretion of cortisol and thyroid hormones, which contribute to the control of fuel utilisation. Repeated handling could disrupt the endocrine response to stress and/or negatively impact upon mass changes during fasting. Here we investigated the effects of handling regime on cortisol and thyroid hormone levels, and body mass changes, in fasting male and female grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus). Females had higher thyroid hormone levels than males throughout fasting and showed a reduction in cortisol midway through the fast that was not seen in males. This may reflect sex-specific fuel allocation or development. Neither handling frequency nor cumulative contact time affected plasma cortisol or thyroid hormone levels, the rate of increase in cortisol over the first five minutes of physical contact or the pattern of mass loss during fasting in either sex. The endocrine response to stress and the control of energy balance in grey seal pups appear to be robust to repeated, short periods of handling. Our results suggest that routine handling should have no additional impact on these animals than general disturbance caused by researchers moving around the colony.

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Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

Bennett KA
NERC Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK. kimberley.bennett@plymouth.ac.uk
Moss SE
No affiliation info available
Pomeroy P
No affiliation info available
Speakman JR
No affiliation info available
Fedak MA
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AnimalsBody WeightFastingFemaleHandling, PsychologicalHydrocortisoneMaleSeals, EarlessSex CharacteristicsThyroxineTriiodothyronine

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

21945943

Citation

Bennett, Kimberley A., et al. "Effects of Handling Regime and Sex On Changes in Cortisol, Thyroid Hormones and Body Mass in Fasting Grey Seal Pups." Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology, vol. 161, no. 1, 2012, pp. 69-76.
Bennett KA, Moss SE, Pomeroy P, et al. Effects of handling regime and sex on changes in cortisol, thyroid hormones and body mass in fasting grey seal pups. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2012;161(1):69-76.
Bennett, K. A., Moss, S. E., Pomeroy, P., Speakman, J. R., & Fedak, M. A. (2012). Effects of handling regime and sex on changes in cortisol, thyroid hormones and body mass in fasting grey seal pups. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 161(1), 69-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.09.003
Bennett KA, et al. Effects of Handling Regime and Sex On Changes in Cortisol, Thyroid Hormones and Body Mass in Fasting Grey Seal Pups. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2012;161(1):69-76. PubMed PMID: 21945943.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Effects of handling regime and sex on changes in cortisol, thyroid hormones and body mass in fasting grey seal pups. AU - Bennett,Kimberley A, AU - Moss,Simon E W, AU - Pomeroy,Paddy, AU - Speakman,John R, AU - Fedak,Mike A, Y1 - 2011/09/17/ PY - 2011/05/23/received PY - 2011/09/09/revised PY - 2011/09/11/accepted PY - 2011/9/28/entrez PY - 2011/9/29/pubmed PY - 2012/3/16/medline SP - 69 EP - 76 JF - Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology JO - Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol VL - 161 IS - 1 N2 - Survival of seal pups may be affected by their ability to respond appropriately to stress. Chronic stress can adversely affect secretion of cortisol and thyroid hormones, which contribute to the control of fuel utilisation. Repeated handling could disrupt the endocrine response to stress and/or negatively impact upon mass changes during fasting. Here we investigated the effects of handling regime on cortisol and thyroid hormone levels, and body mass changes, in fasting male and female grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus). Females had higher thyroid hormone levels than males throughout fasting and showed a reduction in cortisol midway through the fast that was not seen in males. This may reflect sex-specific fuel allocation or development. Neither handling frequency nor cumulative contact time affected plasma cortisol or thyroid hormone levels, the rate of increase in cortisol over the first five minutes of physical contact or the pattern of mass loss during fasting in either sex. The endocrine response to stress and the control of energy balance in grey seal pups appear to be robust to repeated, short periods of handling. Our results suggest that routine handling should have no additional impact on these animals than general disturbance caused by researchers moving around the colony. SN - 1531-4332 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/21945943/Effects_of_handling_regime_and_sex_on_changes_in_cortisol_thyroid_hormones_and_body_mass_in_fasting_grey_seal_pups_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -