Chromosomes and stress

The present investigation examines genotoxic effects of: prolonged periods of stress; the role of the endocrine system; and the relationship between psychogenic stress and chemical mutagens. Increased levels of both Sister Chromatid Exchanges (SCEs) and Chromosome Aberrations (CAs) were observed in male rats subjected to white noise of either 72 or 240 hrs duration, demonstrating that damage occurs during chronic stress. Rats subjected to foot-shock after having been either hypophysectomized or sham-operated, showed elevation of both SCEs and CAs, indicating that hormones in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis do not play a role in genotoxic damage. Rats subjected to foot-shock, and/or the mutagen Mitomycin-C(MMC) showed elevated SCEs, both separately and together. The combined effect was the sum of the individual effects, demonstrating that synergism was not involved. This investigation establishes that psychogenic stress plays a role in genotoxic damage.