Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


miami1186453896.pdf (661.88 KB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Differential Effects of Laboratory Housing Conditions on Biochemical, Genetic, and Physiological Markers of Health and Disease in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Schweitzer, Natalie Beth
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1186453896

Abstract Details

2007, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Zoology.
Animal research has contributed to knowledge about health and disease prevention. The interaction of environment and genetics plays a key role in health and disease. Studies of animals with the same genome have demonstrated that an environment that provides access to exercise is beneficial in maintaining and improving health and preventing disease. In contrast, we hypothesized that denying access to exercise outside of a standard cage, as occurs in the majority of animal experiments, influences gene expression and physiological function resulting in phenotypes such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cognitive dysfunction. The typical way in which animals are housed in long-term studies may compromise the interpretation and application of the laboratory rat to humans. This dissertation examined Sprague-Dawley female and male rats that, over their lifetime, had: i. no access to physical activity or exercise, ii. access to hour-long, twice weekly physical activity and iii. regular access to running wheel exercise. Comparisons of microarray cardiac gene expression associated with cardiovascular disease were made at 16 months old and phenotypic markers, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol were regularly measured over the lifespan. Gene expression profiles were also examined in animals tested on an eight-arm radial arm maze (RAM) at 16 months to investigate whether access to exercise would enhance spatial learning and regulate neural-related gene expression in cardiac tissue. Female rats were used to examine RAM performance among treatment groups over the animals’ lifespan and to determine the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key plasticity and memory-related gene, at 16 months. Results indicate that animals housed with no access to regular exercise had phenotypes and gene expressions associated with CVD and impaired cognitive performance. Unlike sedentary animals, we found an attenuation of gene expression associated with aging and improved RAM performance in regularly exercised animals.
Helaine Alessio (Advisor)
107 p.
Biology, Zoology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Schweitzer, N. B. (2007). Differential Effects of Laboratory Housing Conditions on Biochemical, Genetic, and Physiological Markers of Health and Disease in Sprague-Dawley Rats [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1186453896

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Schweitzer, Natalie. Differential Effects of Laboratory Housing Conditions on Biochemical, Genetic, and Physiological Markers of Health and Disease in Sprague-Dawley Rats. 2007. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1186453896.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Schweitzer, Natalie. "Differential Effects of Laboratory Housing Conditions on Biochemical, Genetic, and Physiological Markers of Health and Disease in Sprague-Dawley Rats." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1186453896

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1186453896
376
© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.