Acclimation of Adrenalectomized Rats to Low Environmental Temperature

Abstract

Cold resistance of adrenalectomized rats supplied with 0.9% NaCl drinking solution, with or without supplementary DCA, was increased by short daily exposures of the animals to 6 C for 39 - 42 days. This increase in cold resistance was demonstrated by the ability of the animals to survive at -18[degree]C for a longer time than adrenalectomized and non-adrenalectomized warm acclimated animals. No evidence of regenerated adrenal tissue could be found, response to the epinephrine test and to the water tolerance test remained negative and hlstological examination could not reveal any adrenal tissue. Treatment with a small amount of DCA appeared to be essential for normal gain in weight but did not affect the survival time.