Abstract
Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is an invaluable laboratory model organism as well as one of the most common rodent pest species. The currently used rodenticides have several significant drawbacks: toxicity to humans and non-target species, environmental harm, the development of avoidance reactions and genetic resistance to the applied substances in rat populations. One of the proposed approaches for rodent pest control is based on natural ways, such as predation, which could be emulated by predator scents. In rodents, olfaction plays a key role in danger recognition, especially in detection of potential predator. Predator odors can activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis via central nervous system and thus induce the release of stress hormones. A well-documented suppression of reproduction under psychosocial stress appears to be associated with specific interactions of HPA axis and hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Hereby we review research on the influences of predator chemical cues on stress response and reproduction in Norway rats with a special focus on long lasting and chronic effects. We describe the effects of predator odors of fox (Vulpes vulpes), ferret (Mustela putorius) and domestic cat (Felis catus) in detail. Assessment of reproductive success in rats may be treated as a robust experimental model to evaluate ecologically relevant stress effects of predator odors. Application of this approach could promote development of environmentally friendly methods to control rat population density.
Highlights
Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is considered to be the first animal domesticated solely for the purpose of scientific research in the middle of the 19th century
Specific domestic cat odors appear to be most potent in eliciting HPA axis activation in Norway rats, as far as they produced the largest spectrum of short-term and long-term responses under controlled laboratory conditions
We performed a systematic review on potency of predator chemical cues to provoke long lasting and chronic stress responses as well as to inhibit reproduction in Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus)
Summary
Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is considered to be the first animal domesticated solely for the purpose of scientific research in the middle of the 19th century. Up to date rats remain a valuable commodity in scientific world Their physiology provides researchers with an opportunity to model almost every pathological condition of human organs or systems. Laboratory rats are widely used in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience research including the development of models for human emotional and mental illnesses, fields where they cannot be replaced with animals possessing lesser complexity of the behavioral response (Whishaw, 1999). Increased probability of human-rat interactions in cities, where high building density and abundance of edible waste provide an ideal environment for rodents, calls for new methods of pest control (e.g. Voznessenskaya et al, 2004; Voznessenskaya & Malanina, 2015). In rodents olfaction plays a key role in danger recognition, especially in detection of potential predator This method is a special case of stress induced regulation of population density. Species specificity of neuroendocrine mechanisms is of particular interest in this case (e.g. Christian & Davies, 1964; Rogovin et al, 2003; Rogovin & Moshkin, 2007)
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