Salamander stress and duress: the relationship between CORT, autotomy and regeneration, and exploratory behaviour

Feb 20, 2020Zoology (Jena, Germany)

Salamander stress hormones linked to body part loss, regrowth, and exploration behavior

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Abstract

Salamanders with elevated corticosterone for 13 weeks regenerated significantly less tail length and volume after autotomy.

Increased levels of corticosterone were administered via a cutaneous patch to study their effects on regeneration and behavior.
Salamanders receiving high corticosterone patches showed reduced tail regeneration compared to control groups.
There was no dose-dependent effect observed in the regeneration of tail length or volume.
Tail autotomy resulted in significantly reduced exploratory behavior in salamanders, indicated by longer delays to cross barriers and fewer barriers crossed.
Elevated corticosterone did not significantly alter the activity levels of salamanders in the exploratory arena.

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Responses to stress are generally mediated through the production of glucocorticoids by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (or -interrenal) axis. The prolonged production of stress hormones can contribute to delayed wound healing and growth, but little is known about their influence on regeneration following tail autotomy, or exploratory behaviour in autotomized individuals. Here we examined the relationship between stress, regeneration, and exploratory behaviour in Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) by manipulating corticosterone (CORT) levels via cutaneous patch. First, we measured tail regeneration in salamanders with elevated CORT for 13 weeks after the induction of tail autotomy. Test subjects received a weekly patch to wear for one hour that was saturated with either a low CORT (0.25 mg/ml) or high CORT (0.50 mg/ml) solution. Individuals receiving CORT patches regenerated significantly less of their tail length and volume (versus control), but without exhibiting dose-dependent effects. Second, we used a factorial design to evaluate the effects of autotomy and elevated CORT on exploration within a test arena consisting of low barriers arrayed in concentric rings. Individuals experiencing tail autotomy exhibited significantly less exploratory behaviour indicated by an increased latency to cross first barrier and a decreased number of barriers crossed. Neither elevated CORT (0.50 mg/ml), nor the interaction between elevated CORT and tail autotomy significantly affected salamander activity within the array. Although CORT did not have a direct effect on explorative behaviour, a delay in regeneration attributed to CORT could lead to changes in patterns of movement in autotomized individuals.

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Salamander stress and duress: the relationship between CORT, autotomy and regeneration, and exploratory behaviour

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