Behavior and body temperature in rats following chronic foot shock or psychological stress exposure

In an attempt to examine stress-induced behavioral disorders, including circadian rhythm disturbances, we measured motor activity, feeding, drinking, and body temperature over a 14-day period following a long-term stress exposure in rats. Male Wistar rats were exposed to foot shock (physical) or non-foot shock stress (psychological) induced by the communication box for 1 h daily over 12 weeks. Two to three months after the termination of the stress sessions, motor activity, food intake, water intake, and body temperature were measured by means of an automatic behavioral measurement system under a 12:12-h light:dark cycle. Motor activity, feeding, and drinking patterns were not influenced by either of the previous stress exposures. Daily rhythm of body temperature was also unchanged in either stress group, however, a significant elevation in body temperature (by 0.20 degrees C, p<0.05) was observed only in non-foot-shocked rats. The present study suggests that only psychological stress induces an elevation of body temperature following the stress exposures; however, long-term stress exposures in the present experiment do not disturb behavioral activities and daily rhythms of behaviors.