Abstract
To determine the relationship between stress and the incidence of liver fibrosis, 140 guinea pigs were
 exposed to various stressors, and their post-mortem livers were assessed. Four stress groups-cardiorespiratory (CR), central nervous system (CNS), gastrointestinal (GI), and combined (Cd)were
 designated in accordance with the stressor(s) experienced and were compared to unstressed controlsubjects. By blood chemistry analysis, the most pervasive findings were decreased glucose and
 increased amylase. Stress group blood glucose levels ranged from 22% to 38% below that of non-stressed controls, and serum amylase was increased by 35% to 68% relative to controls. The reduction
 in glucose was significant in the CR and GI groups, and the elevation in amylase was significant in theCR, GI, and Cd groups. Pathologically, the most frequent finding among the four groups was fattychange, present in 44% of stressed subjects, followed by passive congestion, observed in 40%. The Cdgroup demonstrated a significantly increased incidence of congestion, while both the Cd and GI groupsshowed a significantly increased incidence of fatty change. Subjects in whom congestion was detectedshowed a 1.7-fold greater fibroblast proliferation than subjects in whom fatty change was seen. Themost extensive pathological changes were manifested in the Cd group, in the form of congestion,hemorrhage, fatty change, and fibroblast proliferation. Among the three single-stress groups, thegreatest degree of fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition, and hence the greatest potential forfibrosis, was evident in the GI group. The fibroblastosis in the GI group was statistically significant,presenting a direct pathological indication of pre-fibrotic change. These results provide preliminaryevidence that stress is capable of inducing pathological processes in the liver that may lead to fibrosisand, ultimately, to cirrhosis.
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