Effects of early experience on the metabolism and production of corticosterone in rats

Rats were handled for 3 min daily for 3 weeks before or after weaning or were left totally undisturbed. At 80 days of age, animals from each group were selected for corticosterone half-life determination. Adrenal tissue from thr remaining animals was incubated in vitro in the presence or absence of ACTH. Handled and unmanipulated animals did nto differ in half-life or in adrenocortical output. These data do not support the hypothesis that the reduced adrenocortical reactivity that results from manipulating animals is due to either the metabolsim of corticosterone or the response of the adrenal cortex to ACTH.