Meeting Abstract

P2.154  Sunday, Jan. 5 15:30  Exogenous Corticosterone Administration vs. an Environmental Stressor: Approach Behaviors in Passer domesticus BJORNSON, K.L.*; DAVIS, J.E.; Radford University; Radford University kbjornson@radford.edu

Stress responses to an immediate threat are generally considered to be beneficial to survival. The stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) is known to regulate energy management; however, the behavioral effects of CORT are not fully understood. Previous studies have observed behavioral effects with repeated acute CORT administration over relatively long durations. Additionally, few studies have compared whether exogenous CORT administration alone produces the same behavioral responses as an actual stressor. In the study presented here we exposed female house sparrows to a mildly aversive stimulus immediately after a single acute tropical administration of CORT and contrasted to birds subjected to a 30 minute restraint in order to explore whether CORT-treated birds displayed more hesitant and anxious behaviors than those without CORT treatment or birds that were actually stressed. The results from this study will further our knowledge of how corticosterone influences the stress response.