Studies with chronically isolated rats: Tissue levels and urinary excretion of catecholamines and plasma levels of corticosterone

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Abstract
Rats were maintained in individual cages (isolated) or were housed six per cage (community) for 15–17 weeks. There were no significant differences between the body or organ weights or in the tissue content of catecholamines in the two groups. Isolated animals exhibited an increased sensitivity to the toxicity of isoproterenol. The resting plasma levels of corticosterone and the urinary excretion of noradrenaline and adrenaline were the same for both groups. However, when subjected to a mild stress (a new cage and other animals) only isolated rats responded with increased plasma levels of corticosterone and increased urinary excretion of catecholamines.