Forced swimming stress induced alterations in ingestive behavior in rats

The effects of forced swimming stress (15 minutes per day) on body weight, food intake, blood sugar, water intake, and urine output were studied in adult male Wistar rats on the first, seventh, fourteenth and 21st days in different subgroups. There was a significant initial decrease in the body weight up to 14 days followed by a regain in the body weight, which was sustained until 21 days. Though there was no change in the food intake initially for 7 days, after 14 days a significant increase in the food intake was observed. A significant hypoglycemia was observed throughout the entire period of stress. More significant fall in the blood sugar level was observed in the initial period of exposure of stress (1-7 days). There was a significant reduction in the water intake in the stressed animals. Urine output decreased significantly up to 7 days of stress, though it got marginally increased later. Thus, repeated stress may produce a reduction in body weight only initially, which is accompanied with an initial decrease in food and water intake also. The peak response to stress was seen after 7 days of stress exposure. There was a gradual recovery back to normal in the body weight, food intake, and water intake and urine output when stress period was prolonged to 14-21 days. This is suggestive of the adaptation of the organism to repeated exposure of similar kind of stress.