Group- and individually-reared rats were exposed to 750 r of whole body x-irradiation and then subdivided into group- and individually-housed samples. There were no differential effects of housing on mortality rate among males. Among females there was an apparent interaction between the pre- and post-irradiation conditions of housing such that for the group-reared females there was a significantly greater mortality rate in the animals housed in groups than in those housed individually.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AderR.KreutnerA.Jr., & JacobsH. L.Social environment, emotionality, and alloxan diabetes in the rat. Psychosom. Med., 1963, 25, 60–68.
2.
AndervontH. B.Influence of environment on mammary cancer in mice. J. Nat. Cancer Inst., 1944, 4, 579–581.
3.
ChristianJ.J. Endocrine adapative mechanisms and the physiologic regulation of population growth.Bethesda, Md.: Naval Medical Research Institute, 1960. (Lect. Rev. Ser. 60-2)
4.
CongerJ. J.SawreyW. L., & TurrellE. S.The role of social experience in the production of gastric ulcers in hooded rats placed in a conflict situation. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1958, 57, 214–220.
5.
DavisD. E., & ReadC. P.Effect of behavior on development of resistance to trichinosis. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 1958, 99, 269–272.
6.
HahnE. W., & HowlandJ. W.Modification of irradiation response of female rats by population density. Radiation Res., 1962, 16, 580.
7.
LiddellH. S.Emotional hazards in animals and man.Springfield: Thomas, 1956.
8.
MuhlbockO.Influence of environment on mammary tumors in mice. Acta. internat. contra Cancrum, 1951, 7, 351–353.
9.
SternJ. A.WinokurG.EisensteinA.TaylorR., & SlyM.The effect of group vs individual housing on behavior and physiological responses to stress in the albino rat. J. psychosom. Res., 1960, 4, 185–190.
10.
ThiessenD. D., & RodgersD. A.Population density and endocrine function. Psychol. Bull., 1961, 58, 441–451.
11.
TobachE., & BlochH.Effect of stress by crowding prior to and following tuberculosis infection. Amer. J. Physiol., 1956, 187, 399–402.
