Study of responses of glucostatic mechanisms to immobilization stress in normal and diabetic rats

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the blood glucose and insulin responses to acute and chronic stress and to determine whether diabetes can affect these metabolic responses to acute and chronic stress. Sixty adult male albino rats were used in this study, thirty of them were rendered diabetic by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin [STZ] 50 mg/kg. Rats were divided into 6 equal groups, 3 normal and 3 diabetic groups. One group served as control [normal and diabetic]. The second was exposed to acute stress by immobilization, 3 hours only, normal and diabetic, and the third was exposed to chronic stress by immobilization, 3 hours daily for 15 consecutive days, normal and diabetic. Acute and chronic stress caused significant increase in blood glucose level which was more marked in diabetic rats. On the other hand, acute and chronic stress resulted in significant decline in the magnitude of insulin which was more pronounced in diabetic rats