Abstract

We studied the stress response of the rat to different fasting periods (24 and 48 h), by measuring blood glucose, corticosterone concentration, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in hypothalamus, plasma 5-HIAA and 5-HT. The obtained results show that fasting decreased blood glucose and increased corticosterone concentration in comparison with ad libitum fed rats. However, the GR in hypothalamus increased not in 48 h fasting but in 24 h fasting. Also, plasma 5-HIAA and 5-HT were decreased by fasting periods. It is possible that hypothalamic GR activity is sensitive to the different fasting periods and the fasting itself evokes stress response related with plasma 5-HIAA and 5-HT. (Korean J Str Res 2011;19:391∼396)

• Keywords: Food deprivation, Blood glucose, Corticosterone, GR, Serotonin (5-HT)