Effect of isolation stress on concentrations of arginine vasopressin, α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and ACTH in the pituitary venous effluent of the normal horse

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Abstract
A non-surgical, non-stressful technique was used for collection of pituitary venous blood from five conscious horses every minute for two 10-min periods before and during isolation from the herd, which caused a predictable, yet humane and physiological, emotional stress. Pituitary blood was also sampled every 5 min for two approximately 90-min periods before and after isolation, while jugular blood was sampled every 15 min throughout the experiment. During isolation, all horses became agitated, hyperventilating and sweating. Packed red cell volume increased, as did pituitary venous concentrations of adrenaline (mean ± s.e.m. concentration before isolation, 621·5±112·3 pmol/l; peak during isolation, 2665·4 ± 869·8 pmol/l; P PP P P P P PJ. Endocr. (1988) 116, 325–334