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Running wheel activity is reduced in rat pregnancy (LB801)
Author(s) -
Welshhans Elizabeth,
Clarizio Katharine,
Murphy Robert,
O'Hagan Kathleen
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.lb801
Subject(s) - gestation , pregnancy , medicine , endocrinology , zoology , biology , genetics
Rats provided with cage running wheels engage in daily spontaneous exercise, and this model is used to study the impact of exercise on maternal and fetal outcomes in normal and compromised pregnancies. We hypothesized that exercise volume would decrease during gestation. Cage running wheel revolutions were electronically recorded 24/7 in 5 rats before and through 21 days of gestation. Values are expressed as mean (SD). Pre‐gestation, rats completed 503(262) bouts at 17(3)s per bout at average velocity of 51(21) m/min, accumulating 6.5(2.9) km and 135(75) min per day of exercise, with >90% during lights off. Pregnancy decreased exercise distance [‐63(24)% P<0.02] the first day post breeding via a decrease in total bouts [‐69(15)% P<0.02]. Advancing gestation further suppressed exercise volume with distance and time decreased by 91(7)% at day 14 and 98(3)% by day 21, due to decreased number of bouts [‐93(5%)][all P<0.02]. After day 14 gestation, time and distance per bout also decreased (P<0.01) with a smaller contribution from reduced velocity. Spontaneous exercise volume abruptly decreases during the first week of gestation due to reduction in bout frequency and is minimal during the final week of gestation. The >50% reduction in exercise volume during early pregnancy suggests initiation of an energy conservation strategy. Grant Funding Source : Supported by Midwestern University