Effect of surgery stress and immobilization stress on ghrelin hormone level, body weight and food intake in female rats

Animal models of stress are a good for studying the stress induced disorders. The present study investigated the effect of immobilization and surgery stress on plasma ghrelin concentration، food intake and body weight.

This was an experimental study. 40 adult female rats were divided into 4 groups. Control group: no stress. In sham Group anesthetic and antibiotic drugs were administered. Surgery group rats were subjected surgery stress. Immobilization group rats were subjected to immobilization stress for 7 days. On the seventh day، blood samples were obtained directly from the animal’s heart. Serum Ghrelin concentrations were measured by ELISA. The changes in body weight during 7 days were recorded. Food intake was measured daily.

Surgical stress had no significant effect on serum ghrelin concentrations but immobilization stress caused a significant increase in blood levels of ghrelin. Surgery and immobilization stress had no significant effect on body weight. Immobilization stress caused a significant increase in food intake.

The effect of Stress on serum ghrelin level and food intake depends on the kind of stress.