Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-mzsfj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-21T11:53:00.343Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Endocrine changes after experimental showjumping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

Adriana Ferlazzo ,
Pietro Medica ,
Cristina Cravana  and
Esterina Fazio
Adriana Ferlazzo*
Affiliation:
Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production, Unit of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
Pietro Medica
Affiliation:
Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production, Unit of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
Cristina Cravana
Affiliation:
Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production, Unit of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
Esterina Fazio
Affiliation:
Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production, Unit of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
*
*Corresponding author: ferlazzo@unime.it
Get access

Abstract

The study was designed in order to gain a better understanding of whether the lack of competition stress and/or sampling time had an influence on circulating β-endorphin, adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) and cortisol modifications after experimental showjumping sessions and to study the effects of fence height on hormone changes. Hormone levels were recorded before exercise in basal conditions and after warm-up, then 5 and 30 min post-exercise. Using a randomized crossover study design, six horses were studied during three experimental showjumping sessions over fences of different heights: 1.00 m (session 1), 1.10 m (session 2) and 1.20 m (session 3). The showjumping exercise did not modify plasma β-endorphin and serum ACTH concentrations after session 1, and tended only to maintain higher values than basal after both session 2 and session 3. The interaction fence height/time was not statistically significant for either β-endorphin or ACTH changes. Sampling time significantly affected both β-endorphin (F = 2.88; P < 0.04) and ACTH (F = 3.84; P < 0.01) changes. Serum cortisol levels were always higher than basal 5 min post-exercise, with levels falling at 30 min. The interaction fence height/time was not statistically significant, while sampling time significantly affected the results (F = 7.96; P < 0.0002). This study demonstrated no significant effects of fence height on β-endorphin, ACTH and cortisol changes. The sampling times adopted affected post-exercise changes in plasma β-endorphin, ACTH and cortisol and could have masked the effects of fence height on hormone modifications.

Keywords

horseshowjumpingβ-endorphinACTHcortisol

Information

Type
Research Paper
Information
Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , May 2009 , pp. 59 - 66
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1 Thornton, JR (1985). Hormonal responses to exercise and training. The Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice I: 477–495.Google Scholar
2 Church, DB, Evans, DL, Lewis, DR and Rose, RJ (1987). The effect of exercise on plasma adrenocorticotrophin, cortisol and insulin in the horse and adaptation with training. In: Gillespie, JR and Robinson, NE (eds) Equine Exercise Physiology 2. Davis, CA: ICEEP Publications, pp. 506–515.Google Scholar
3 Lekeux, P, Art, T, Linden, A, Desmecht, D and Amory, H (1991). Heart rate, haematological and serum biochemical responses to show jumping. In: Persson, SGB, Lindholm, A and Jeffcott, LB (eds) Equine Exercise Physiology 3. Davis, CA: ICEEP Publications, pp. 385–390.Google Scholar
4 Rose, RJ and Hodgson, DR (1994). Haematology and biochemistry. In: Hodgson, DR and Rose, RJ (eds) The Athletic Horse: Principles and Practice of Equine Sports Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Comp., pp. 63–78.Google Scholar
5 Ferlazzo, A and Fazio, E (1997). Endocrinological variables in blood and plasma. In: Lindner, A (ed.) Performance Diagnosis of Horses. Wageningen: Wageningen Academic Publishers, pp. 30–43.Google Scholar
6 McKeever, KH (2002). Exercise physiology of the older horse. The Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice; Geriatrics 18: 469–490.Google ScholarPubMed
7 Hyyppä, S (2005). Endocrinal responses and regulation in exercising horse. Livestock Production Science 92: 113–121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8 Ferlazzo, A, Fazio, E and Medica, P (2007). Hormonas y Ejercicio. In: Boffi, F (ed.) Fisiologia del Ejercicio en Equinos. Buenos Aires: Editorial Inter-Médica S.A.I.C.I., pp. 153–164.Google Scholar
9 Adler, GK (2000). Exercise and fatigue – is neuroendocrinology an important factor? The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 85: 2167–2169.Google ScholarPubMed
10 Canali, E, Ferrante, V, Mattiello, S, Sacerdote, P, Panerai, AE, Lebelt, D and Zanella, A (1996). Plasma levels of β-endorphin and in vitro lymphocyte proliferation as indicators of welfare in horses in normal or restrained conditions. Pferdeheilkunde 12: 415–418.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11 Hydbring, E, Nyman, S and Dahlborn, K (1996). Changes in plasma cortisol, plasma β-endorphin, heart rate, haematocrit and plasma protein concentration in horses during restraint and use of a naso-gastric tube. Pferdeheilkunde 12: 423–427.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12 McCarthy, RN, Jeffcott, B and Clarke, IJ (1993). Preliminary studies on the use of plasma β-endorphin in horses as an indicator of stress and pain. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 13: 216–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13 McCarthy, RN, Jeffcott, LB, Funder, JW, Fullerton, M and Clarke, IJ (1991). Plasma beta-endorphin and adrenocorticotropin in young horses in training. Australian Veterinary Journal 68: 359–361.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14 Mehl, ML, Sarkar, DK, Schott, HC II, Brown, JA, Sampson, SN and Bayly, WM (1999). Equine plasma β-endorphin concentrations are affected by exercise intensity and time of day. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 567–569.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15 Mehl, ML, Schott, HC II and Sarkar, DK (2000). Effects of exercise intensity and duration on plasma β-endorphin concentrations in horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research 61: 969–973.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16 Marc, M, Parvizi, N, Ellendorff, F, Kallweit, E and Elsaesser, F (2000). Plasma cortisol and ACTH concentrations in the warmblood horse in response to a standardized treadmill exercise test as physiological markers for evaluation of training status. Journal of Animal Science 78: 1936–1946.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17 Linden, A, Art, T, Amory, H, Desmecht, D and Lekeux, P (1991). Effect of 5 different types of exercise, transportation and ACTH administration on plasma cortisol concentration in sport horses. In: Persson, SGB, Lindholm, A and Jeffcott, LB (eds) Equine Exercise Physiology 3. Davis, CA: ICEEP Publications, pp. 391–396.Google Scholar
18 Nagata, S, Takeda, F, Kurosawa, M, Mima, K, Hiraga, A, Kai, M and Taya, K (1999). Plasma adrenocorticotropin, cortisol and catecholamines response to various exercises. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 570–574.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19 Linden, A, Art, T, Amory, H, Desmecht, D and Lekeux, P (1990). Comparison of the adrenocortical response to both pharmacological and physiological stresses in sport horses. Journal of Veterinary Medicine (A) 37: 601–604.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20 Foreman, JH and Ferlazzo, A (1996). Physiological responses to stress in the horse. Pferdeheilkunde 12: 401–404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21 Lindner, A, Fazio, E, Ferlazzo, AM, Medica, P and Ferlazzo, A (2000). Plasma cortisol concentration in Thoroughbred horses during and after standardized exercise tests on a treadmill and effect of conditioning on basal cortisol values. Pferdeheilkunde 16: 502–510.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22 Lindner, A, Fazio, E, Medica, P and Ferlazzo, A (2002). Effect of age, time record V4 on plasma cortisol concentration in standardbred racehorses during exercise. Pferdeheilkunde 18: 51–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23 Golland, LC, Evans, DL, Stone, GM, Tyler, CM, Rose, RJ and Hodgson, DR (1996 a). The effect of overtraining on plasma cortisol concentrations at rest and in responses to exercise and administration of synthetic adrenocorticotropin in standardbred racehorses. Pferdeheilkunde 12: 531–533.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24 Golland, LC, Evans, DL, Stone, GM, Tyler-McGowan, CM, Hodgson, DR and Rose, RJ (1999 b). Plasma cortisol and beta-endorphin concentrations in trained and over-trained standardbred racehorses. Pflügers Archives of European Journal of Physiology 439: 11–17.Google ScholarPubMed
25 McKenna, B, Lembert, M and Evans, JA (1993). A study of β-endorphin and cortisol levels in the exercising horse. In Foreman, J.(ed.) Proceedings of the 12th Conference Association for Equine Sports Medicine. Santa Barbara, CA: Veterinary Practice Publishing Co., pp. 39–43.Google Scholar
26 Malinowski, K, Shock, EJ, Roegner, V, Rochelle, P, Kearns, CF, Guirnalda, P and McKeever, KH (2002). Age and exercise training alter plasma beta-endorphin, cortisol, and immune parameters in horses. Journal of Animal Science 80(Suppl. 1): 156.Google Scholar
27 Malinowski, K, Shock, EJ, Rochelle, P, Kearns, CF, Guirnalda, PD and McKeever, KH (2006). Plasma β-endorphin, cortisol and immune responses to acute exercise are altered by age and exercise training in horses. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 36: 267–273.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28 Golland, LC, Evans, DL, Stone, GM, Tyler-McGowan, CM, Hodgson, DR and Rose, RJ (1999 a). Maximal exercise transiently disrupts hormonal secretory patterns in Standardbred geldings. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 581–585.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29 Alexander, SL, Irvine, CH, Ellis, MJ and Donald, RA (1991). The effect of acute exercise on the secretion of corticotrophin-releasing factor, arginine vasopressin, and adrenocorticotropin as measured in pituitary venous blood from the horse. Endocrinology 128: 65–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30 Kurosawa, M, Nagata, S, Takeda, F, Kurosawa, M, Mima, K, Hiraga, A, Kai, M and Taya, K (1998). Plasma catecholamine, adrenocorticotropin and cortisol responses to exhaustive incremental treadmill exercise of the Thoroughbred horse. Journal of Equine Science 9: 9–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31 Hada, H, Onaka, T, Takahashi, T, Hiraga, A and Yagi, K (2003). Effects of novelty stress on neuroendocrine activities and running performance in thoroughbred horses. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 15: 638–648.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32 Goldfarb, AH, Hatfield, BD, Armstrong, D and Potts, J (1990). Plasma beta-endorphin concentration: response to intensity and duration of exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 22: 241–244.Google ScholarPubMed
33 Art, T, Franchimont, P and Lekeux, P (1994). Plasma β-endorphin response in thoroughbred horses to maximal exercise. The Veterinary Record 135: 499–503.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34 Clayton, HM (1994). Training show jumpers. In: Hodgson, DR and Rose, RJ (eds) The Athletic Horse: Principles and Practice of Equine Sports Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Comp., pp. 429–438.Google Scholar
35 Clayton, HM (1989). Terminology for the description of equine jumping kinematics. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 9: 341–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
36 Ferlazzo, A, Fazio, E, Aronica, V, Di Majo, R, Medica, P and Grasso, L (1998). Circulating concentrations of β-endorphin, ACTH and cortisol in horses after jumping over fences of different size. Proceedings of the Conference on Equine Sports Medicine and Science Córdoba, Spain, pp. 53–56.Google Scholar
37 Fazio, E, Alberghina, D, Aronica, V, Medica, P and Ferlazzo, A (2000). Effect of performance success on blood β-endorphin ACTH and cortisol levels in show jumping horses. In: Lindner, A (ed.) The Elite Show Jumper. Essen: Science Consult, pp. 113–115.Google Scholar
38 Pell, SM and McGreevy, PD (1999). A study of cortisol and beta-endorphin levels in stereotypic and normal Thoroughbreds. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 64: 81–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
39 Cayado, P, Muñoz-Escassi, B, Domínguez, C, Manley, W, Olabarri, B, Sánchez de la Muela, M, Castejon, F, Marañon, G and Vara, E (2006). Hormone response to training and competition in athletic horses. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 36: 274–278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
40 McKeever, KH and Gordon, ME (2004). Endocrine alterations in the equine athlete. In: Hinchcliff, KW, Kaneps, A and Geor, R (eds) Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery: Basic and Clinical Sciences of the Equine Athlete. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier, pp. 793–814.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
41 Goldfarb, AH and Jamurtas, AZ (1997). Beta-endorphin response to exercise. Sports Medicine 24: 8–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
42 Munck, A, Naray-Fejes-Toth, A and Guyre, PM (1987). Mechanisms of glucocorticoid actions on the immune system. In: Berczi, I and Kovacs, K (eds) Hormone and Immunity. Lancaster: MTP Press, pp. 20–37.Google Scholar
43 Snow, DH, Harris, RC, MacDonald, IA, Forster, CD and Marlin, DJ (1992). Effects of high-intensity exercise on plasma catecholamines in the thoroughbred horse. Equine Veterinary Journal 24: 462–467.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
44 McGreevy, P and Nicol, C (1998). Physiological and behavioural consequences associated with short-term prevention of crib-biting in horses. Physiology & Behaviour 65: 15–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
45 Williams, RJ, Marlin, DJ, Smith, N, Harris, RC, Haresign, W and Davis Morel, MC (2002). Effects of cool and hot humid environmental conditions on neuroendocrine responses of horses to treadmill exercise. The Veterinary Journal 164: 54–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
46 Weizman, RM, Gil-Ad, I, Hermesch, H, Munitz, H and Laron, Z (1990). Immunoreactive β-endorphin, cortisol, and GH plasma levels in obsessive–compulsive disorder. Clinical Neuropharmacology 13: 297–302.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed