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Psychosocial Stress and Volatile Compounds in Preputial Glands of Rats
Author(s) -
Pohorecky Larissa A.,
Ma Weidong,
Blakley Gregory G.,
Soini H. A.,
Novotny Milos V.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1410.084
Subject(s) - preputial gland , chemistry , sex pheromone , medicine , endocrinology , psychology , biology , zoology
Pheromones are volatile chemical cues that in rodents originate in large part from the preputial glands and influence various behavioral and physiological processes. We have examined the effect of psychosocial stress on volatile compound composition of preputial glands of male rats. Rats were housed three per cage or singly for 70 days. Dominants had heavier preputials compared to subdominant and subordinate rats. Capillary gas chromatographic mass spectrometry identified 55 volatile preputial compounds: 17 did not differ between groups, while 26 compounds were higher in single‐housed compared to triad‐housed rats. Six compounds were higher in dominant, while another six were higher in both dominant and single‐housed rats. We conclude that both housing condition and rank status have significant differential effects on the preputial volatile compounds.