生活环境条件对中国树鼩血激素水平和心理行为的影响

Effects of living environment conditions on the blood hormone levels and psychological behavior in Chinese tree shrews

目的探索生活环境条件(居住环境条件和动物之间相互作用的因素)对中国树鼩血激素水平和心理行为的影响。方法采用空间大小不等的笼具饲养中国树鼩,或给予利血平,分别在15、30、60、120、180 d时用乙醚吸入麻醉,从心脏采血,用放射免疫法检测血液中睾酮(testosterone,T)、雌二醇(estradiol,E2)、内皮素(endothelin,ET)、肾上腺素(adrenaline,A)和去甲肾上腺素(noradrenaline,NA)水平。结果①将中国树鼩分别放入大笼(D1组)、小笼(X1组)单独饲养15、30、60、120、180 d时检测,与大笼(D1组)比:小笼(X1组)T水平显著降低(P<0.01),A、NA、ET水平显著升高(P<0.01)。②小笼和大笼临近饲养(X2组)饲养15、30、60、120、180 d时检测,X2组T、A、NA水平均比小笼单独饲养(X1组)显著升高(均P<0.01)。③利血平各组A、NA水平均显著降低(均P<0.01)。④小笼单独饲养(X1组)、小笼和大笼临近饲养(X2组)的动物均出现猝丧、食欲降低、睾丸萎缩、阴茎外露下垂等应激症状。利血平组中国树鼩均出现性情温顺,活动显著减少,食欲降低,停喂利血平,放入大笼饲养,动物逐渐恢复到正常生活状态。结论居住环境条件和动物之间的相互作用均能引起中国树鼩血激素水平变化和心理行为的改变。

Objective To study the effects of living environment conditions and animal-animal interaction on the blood hormone levels and psychological behavior in Chinese tree shrews .Methods Chinese tree shrews were raised in ca-ges of different space sizes or were administered reserpine for 15, 30, 60, 120, 180 days, respectively.Then the animals were anesthetized by ether inhalation , and blood samples were taken from the heart to detect the levels of blood testosterone （T）, estradiol （E2）, endothelin （ET）, adrenaline （A） and noradrenaline （NA） by radioimmunoassay （RIA）.Results 1.Chinese tree shrews were bred in large cage （D1group） or small cage （X1 group） for 15, 30, 60, 120, 180 days, re-spectively.Compared with the animals bred in the large cage （D1 group）, the level of blood testosterone （T） was signifi-cantly reduced （P〈0.01）, and the levels of adrenaline , noradrenaline and endothelin were significantly increased in the small cage group （P〈0.01 for all）.2.The animals raised in small cages in close neighborhood with large cages for 15, 30, 60, 120, 180 days, respectively.The levels of testosterone, adrenaline and noradrenaline in the large cage group （X2 group） were significantly higher than those of the small cage group （X1 group） （P〈0.01 for all）.3.The adrenaline and noradrenaline levels were significantly lower in all the reserpine groups （P〈0.01 for all）.4.The animals bred in small cages （X1 group） and in small cages in close neighborhood with large cages showed sudden loss , reduced appetite, testicu-lar atrophy , penile prolapse and stress symptoms .The animals of the reserpine groups appeared gentle temperament , signif-icantly reduced activity and reduced appetite .However , after stopping the reserpine administration and feeding them in large cages , the animals gradually returned to normal behavior .Conclusion Both animals living environment conditions and animal-animal interaction may cause changes of blood hormone levels and psychological behavior in Chinese tree shrews.