Schedule-Induced Chronic Hypertension

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Abstract
Rats were fed on an intermittent-feeding schedule 1 45-mg food pellet every 90 s for 5 h/day (experimental group) or an equivalent food ration as a single, daily feeding (control group). All animals were mononephrectomized and given saline to drink. Experimental animals became polydipsic (schedule-induced polydipsia). The rate and amount of fluid intakes between the 2 groups were controlled in the 2nd experiment. In both experiments a significant blood pressure difference developed between the groups and remained terminally after water replaced saline as the drinking fluid for about 3 wk. The development of chronic hypertension in the experimental group in the 2nd experiment was regarded as a psychosomatic counterpart of other excessive and persistent behaviors (e.g., polydipsia, aggression), which can be induced by certain intermittent-feeding schedules. Observations on the heart (increased wt, kidney (minor pathologic changes) and adrenals (no change) were consistent with essential hypertension.