Studies of abnormal behavior in the rat. XVIII. Analysis of stomachs of rats repeatedly exposed to auditory stimulation
Abstract
This study owes its inception to the fact that "stomach disorders are frequently thought to be associated with nervous conditions." The data reported here are based on an examination of the stomachs of 225 rats that had been exposed to varying degrees of nervous strain produced by both conflict tests and auditory stimulation. The stomachs of 47% of the experimental group and 25% of the control group showed dark spots which pathological examination revealed to be pigment granules. A few inflammatory reactions but no ulcers were found. The two methods of producing nervous strain showed similar results, but there was some relation between the number of exposures and the incidence of stomach conditions. The number of seizures which an animal had during the experiment showed no relation to the stomach condition.