Recovery from activity-stress ulcer by ad lib feeding in rats

In order to investigate the recovery from activity-stress ulcers by ad lib-feeding and/or cessation of running, male Wistar rats were exposed to the activity-stress paradigm, and the rats that revealed hypothermia (their rectal temperature fell below 36 degrees C) were sacrificed either immediately or after several 24 h periods of healing. Rats that were sacrificed immediately after the appearance of hypothermia and those that were exposed to restricted feeding plus cessation of running revealed severe activity-stress ulcers, whereas few ulcers were observed in rats given ad lib-feeding and those that were given ad lib-feeding plus cessation of running. Although no significant differences in relative weights of spleen and thymus were obtained among the different recovery conditions, the relative weights of the adrenal glands were highest in the restricted feeding plus cessation of running group, whereas, the other animals exposed to the activity-stress paradigm showed no differences. These results indicate that activity-stress ulcers recover under conditions of ad lib-feeding within 24 h, but they are not influenced by cessation of running. These data also suggest that organ weights are not affected by any manipulations employed in the present study.