Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Department of Morphology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Stress. 2023 Nov;26(1):2265160. doi: 10.1080/10253890.2023.2265160. Epub 2023 Oct 7.
To investigate the effects of chronic stress on bladder morphology and the impact of food preference (standard or comfort foods) on the bladder of stressed rats.
In total, 32 Wistar male rats (3 months old) were divided into four groups: control (C), stressed (S), control + comfort food (C + CF), and stressed + comfort food (S + CF). Groups C and C + CF were maintained under normal conditions, while groups S and S + CF were subjected to chronic stress by the restraint method. Groups C and S received standard rat chow, while groups C + CF and S + CF received comfort food (Froot Loops®) and standard chow. The stress stimuli were induced daily for 2 h over 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, all animals were killed, and the bladders were removed and used for histomorphometric analysis.
Body mass was similar among the groups. Stress did not promote differences regarding food intake, but animals receiving comfort food showed higher calories intake (in kcal/Kg) than animals receiving only standard chow. The C + CF and S + CF groups preferred comfort food over the standard chow; this preference was higher in the S + CF than in the C + CF group. The surface density of smooth muscle was reduced in stressed animals, while connective tissue and elastic system fiber content were increased in stressed groups. Further, epithelial height was increased in rats submitted to chronic stress. The surface density of elastic system fibers was decreased by the consumption of comfort food.
Chronic stress induces morphological modifications on the bladder wall and epithelium. These modifications may be related to lower urinary tract symptoms. Additionally, chronic stress caused a higher preference for comfort food intake which did not ameliorate or aggravate the stress-induced bladder alterations.
研究慢性应激对膀胱形态的影响，以及食物偏好（标准食物或舒适食物）对应激大鼠膀胱的影响。
将 32 只 3 月龄雄性 Wistar 大鼠随机分为 4 组：对照组（C）、应激组（S）、对照组+舒适食物组（C+CF）和应激组+舒适食物组（S+CF）。C 组和 C+CF 组维持正常条件，S 组和 S+CF 组采用束缚法进行慢性应激。C 组和 S 组给予标准大鼠饲料，C+CF 组和 S+CF 组给予舒适食物（Froot Loops®）和标准饲料。应激刺激每日进行 2 小时，共 8 周。8 周后，处死所有动物，取出膀胱进行组织形态学分析。
各组间体重相似。应激并未促进食物摄入的差异，但摄入舒适食物的动物摄入的热量（以千卡/千克计）高于仅摄入标准饲料的动物。C+CF 组和 S+CF 组更喜欢舒适食物而不是标准食物；S+CF 组比 C+CF 组更喜欢舒适食物。应激组平滑肌的表面密度降低，而结缔组织和弹性系统纤维含量增加。此外，慢性应激大鼠的上皮高度增加。弹性系统纤维的表面密度因摄入舒适食物而降低。
慢性应激会引起膀胱壁和上皮的形态学改变。这些改变可能与下尿路症状有关。此外，慢性应激导致大鼠对舒适食物的摄入偏好增加，但这种偏好既没有改善也没有加重应激引起的膀胱改变。
