Skip to main content
Log in

Lifelong variations in heart rates in SPF Sprague Dawley rats of both sexes

Statistical correlations with body weights

  • Heart, Circulation, Respiration and Blood; Environmental and Exercise Physiology
  • Published:
Pflügers Archiv Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In unanesthetized Sprague Dawleys, SPF, of both sexes, housed indl 12:12 (110 lux), at a temperature of 18–23°C and a hygrometry of 60–75%, the measurements of heart frequencies during most part of their life point out a continuous decrease with age and an always higher (40–20 c. min−1) heart rate in females than in males. Significant correlations between rate and body weight can account for these heart which corresponds to the growth period, a linear relationship was established between Log heart rate (y;c. min−1) and Log body weight (x; gram); for males: Logy=−0.122 Logx+Log 938 and for females: Logy=−0.166 Logx+Log 1217. After the age of 600 days, which corresponds to senescence, decreases in heart rate as well as in body weight were observed in both sexes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adolph, E. F.: Ranges of heart rates and their regulations at various ages (rat). Am. J. Physiol.212, 595–602 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Åstrand, I.: Aerobic work capacity in men and women with special reference to age. Acta Physiol. Scand.49, suppl. 169 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett, S. A., Spencer, M. M.: Feeding social behaviour and interspecific competition in wild rats. Behaviour3, 229–242 (1951)

    Google Scholar 

  • Belanger, D., Tetreau, B.: L'influence d'une motivation inappropriée sur le comportement du rat et sa fréquence cardiaque. Canad. J. Physiol.15, 6–14 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg, B. N., Hamison, C. R.: Blood pressure and heart size in aging rats. J. Gerontol.10, 416–419 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  • Binet, P.: L'activité des médicaments et des toxiques en fonction du sexe. Paris: Douin 1973

    Google Scholar 

  • Brody, S.: Bioenergetics and growth. New York: Reinhold 1945

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunag, R. B., Walaszek, J., Mueting, N.: Sex differences in reflex tachycardia induced by hypotensive drugs in unanesthetized rats. Am. J. Physiol.229, 652–656 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, A. J.: Comparative Physiology of the Heart. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press 1927

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, J. M., Hamer, J., Shelton, J. R., Taylor, S., Venning, G. R.: The rhythm of the normal human heart. LancetII 1976, 508–512

  • Cosnier, J.: Etude du comportement grégaire chez le Rat adulte; technique et résultats d'ensemble. C. R. Ac. Sc. Paris256, 4288–4289 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dencklan, W. D.: Minimal oxygen consumption in the female rat, some new definitions and measurements. J. Appl. Physiol.129, 263–274 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Denimal, J., Bernet, M., Collache, M.: Comparaison de deux lots de rats présentant une émotivité différente: I. Fréquence cardiaque. C. R. Soc. Biol.164, 2538–2543 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Glagov, S., Rowley, D. A., Cramer, B. D., Page, R. G.: Heart rates during 24 h of usual activity for 100 normal men. J. Appl. Physiol.29, 799–805 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, R., Beideman, L., Hill, S. H., Stern, J. A.: Heart rate as a function of deprivation and age in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.72, 360–365 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grad, B.: A simple method for the measurement of the oxygen consumption and heart rate of rats. Endocrinol.50, 94–99 (1952)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grad, B.: Changes in oxygen consumption and heart rate of rats during growth and ageing: Role of the thyroid gland. Am. J. Physiol.174, 481–486 (1953)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gram, T. E., Gilette, J. R.: The role of sex hormones in the metabolism of drug and other foreign compounds by hepatic microsomal enzymes. In: Metabolic Effects of Gonadal Hormones and Contraceptive Steroids. New York: Plenum Press 1969

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrington, G. M., Hanlon, J. R.: Heart rate, defecation and genetic differences in rats. Psychon. Science6, 425–426 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Humpeler, E., Amor, H.: Sex differences in the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin. Pflügers Arch343, 151–156 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, E. L., Kimeldorf, D. J.: Heart, respiration and temperature measurements in the rat during the sleep state. J. Appl. Physiol.15, 733–735 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinnear, J. E., Brown, G. D.: Minimum heart rates of marsupials. Nature215, 1501 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Krames, B. B., Van Liere, E. J.: The heart weight and ventricular weights of normal adult albino rats. Anat. Records156, 461–464 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lahiri, S.: Blood oxygen affinity and alveolar ventilation in relation to body weight in mammals. Am. J. Physiol.229, 529–536 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Montoye, H. J., Willis, P. W., Cunningham, D. A.: Heart rate response to submaximal exercise: relation to age and sex. J. Gerontol.23, 127–135 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Morhardt, J. E., Morhardt, S. S.: Correlations between heart rate and oxygen consumption in rodents. Am. J. Physiol.221, 1580–1586 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Moses, L. E.: Heart rate of the albino rat. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.63, 58–62 (1946)

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillipps, R. D., Hunt, E. L., Castro, R. D., King, N. W.: Thermoregulatory, metabolic, and cardiovascular response of rats to microwaves. J. Appl. Physiol.38, 630–635 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, D. A., Shaw, D. J., Angell, C. S., Shock, N. W.: Cardiac performance in the unanesthetized senescent male rats. J. Geront.28, 287–292 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt Nielsen, K.: Energy metabolism, body size and problems of scaling. Fed. Proc.29, no. 4, 1524–1532 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, D.: Méthodes statistiques à l'usage des médecins et des biologistes. Paris: Flammarion 1963

    Google Scholar 

  • Setnikar, I., Magistretti, M. J.: Relationships between organ weight and body weight in the male rat. Arzneim. Forsch.15, 1042–1048 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stupfel, M.: Carbon dioxide and temperature regulation of homeothermic mammals. In: Carbon dioxide and metabolic regulations (G. Nahas and K. E. Schaefer, eds.). Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Stupfel, M., Bouley, G.: Physiological and biochemical effects on rats and mice exposed to small concentrations of carbon monoxide for long periods. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci.174, 342–368 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stupfel, M., Perramon, A., Gasc, J. M., Magnier, M., Duriez, M.: Body dimorphism and sex difference of resistance to an acute hypoxic challenge in rodents and birds of different ages. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.59 A, 347–354 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Vernet-Maury, E., Chanel, J.: De quelques méthodes d'évaluation de l'émotion chez le rat. J. Physiol. Paris59, 526 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • von Döbeln, W.: Human standard and maximal metabolic rate in relation to fat free body mass. Acta Physiol. Scand.37, suppl. 126, 1–78 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

We acknowledge the technical assistance of Serge Hazout, Christian Lemercerre and Micheline Duriez

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stupfel, M., Costagliola, D. Lifelong variations in heart rates in SPF Sprague Dawley rats of both sexes. Pflugers Arch. 380, 189–195 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582156

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582156

Key words

Navigation