Social Environment, Emotionality, and Alloxan Diabetes in the Rat

Abstract

In addition to tests of emotionality, the hyperglycemic response to alloxan was measured in animals caged individually, in pairs, and in groups. Animals raised in groups were less emotional than animals reared individually, but the level of emotionality was not subsequently related to the degree of hyperglycemia produced by alloxan. Irrespective of the conditions under which they were reared, animals living in groups after receiving alloxan showed significantly higher blood sugar levels than animals living alone or in pairs.