AVS-3150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Helicobacter Pylori, Stereotypy, Sympathetic Nervous System
17 Feb 2017
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How do we know what normal behavior is: watch wild animals, watch feral animals, place domestic animals back into the wild and observe them. Sows chewing on bars in their pens. Zoo animals pacing: definition = a repeated activity by an animal that has no apparent value or advantage to the animal. The word apparent is really important because there may be an endorphin release or some other physiological effect that we cannot see: stereotypies are learned behaviors and may not indicate that an animal is currently stressed. Prolonged exposure to corticosteroids can lead to: stomach ulcers, compromised immune system, heart problems. Stomach ulcers occur when corticosteroids suppress the immune system. This allows helicobacter pylori to irritate the stomach lining. The sympathetic nervous system acts very rapidly: adrenaline acts rapidly but cannot hold up for a long time. Corticosteroids kick in when the adrenaline runs out: corticosteroids are only bad when an animal is under chronic stress.
