Role of subordination in nephritis of socially stressed mice

A behavioral etiology of interstitial nephritis of male CBA mice chronically exposed to psychosocial stress is suspected. The blood urea nitrogen of these animals is inversely proportional to social status as measured by behavior and the appearance of fur. Blood pressure measurement tends toward an opposite relationship. Since subordinates have difficulty urinating in the presence of dominants and suffer from overfilled bladders, their fatal tubulointerstitial involvement may originate with repeated episodes of urinary reflux.