COMPARISON OF FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE LEVELS IN CHRONIC STRESS RAT MODEL AND THEIR OFFSPRING
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Keywords
Corticosterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Chronic Alternating Stress.
Abstract
Background: Stress is an integral aspect of modern life and has been shown to negatively impact various physiological systems, including the reproductive system. This study was conducted to investigate the transgenerational effects of stress in rats by analyzing and comparing reproductive hormone levels.
Objective: To find the effect of chronic alternating stress on rat parents and offsprings by comparing Corticosterone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone Levels.
Methods: This study employed an experimental case-control design involving 136 healthy Wistar albino rats, aged 11 weeks in the parent generation at the outset. All animals were subjected to behavioural tests at the start of the experiment to ensure that they did not show stressed behaviour prior to the intervention and subsequently divided into two groups: case parents and control parents. The case group was subjected to a three-week regimen of chronic alternating stress, while the control group was not exposed to any stress. Male and female rats were housed separately before and during the stress period and were allowed to mate only afterward. The offspring of both groups were further divided into multiple experimental groups: one group was assayed at 5 weeks of age without exposure to stress; a second group received early-life stress from weeks 5 to 8; a third group experienced late-life stress from weeks 11 to 14; and a fourth group was subjected to both early- and late-life stress. A control group of offspring was maintained without any stress exposure. The stress protocol administered to the offspring was identical to that used for the parent generation. Behavioural assessments were performed, and hormonal assays were conducted to evaluate the effect of stress on behaviour and hormones.
Results: Rats exposed to early life stress exhibited significantly elevated corticosterone levels (P < 0.05) and reduced follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels compared to the rest.
Conclusion: Rats subjected solely to early life stress demonstrated comparatively less favourable hormonal profiles than those exposed to both early and late life stress.
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Dr. Madiha Khattak
MBBS, MPhil, PhD Physiology, Assistant Professor, Physiology Department, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr. Robina Usman
MBBS, MPhil Physiology, MHPE, PhD Physiology, Professor, Physiology Department, Peshawar Medical College, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Dr. Muhammad Omar Malik
MBBS, MPhil Physiology, PhD (Glasgow), Associate Professor, Physiology Department, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
Mr. Muhammad Luqman
(D. Pharm, MPhil Pharmacology), Pharmacist, Pharmacology Department, Peshawar Medical College, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Dr. Ammara Khattak
MBBS, MPhil Anatomy, Lecturer, Oral Biology Department, Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar, Pakistan