Abstract
Subsequent to the slow historical development of the use of controlled feeding to extend maximum lifespan in rodents, interest is now focussed on exploring the potential of this animal model to understand more fully the mechanisms of aging and the biochemical etiology of chronic age-related pathologies. The use of diet to extend lifespan has so far been restricted to rodent species within the Mammals, but confirmation of the reproducibility of this effect has been reported in spite of widely differing experimental designs (Merry and Holehan, 1985a, 1985b). Controlled underfeeding such as to limit access to the normal diet so that the body weight of experimental animals is maintained at 50% of age-matched ad libitum fed rats is one of the simplest and most effective designs to delay the age at which the rate of mortality increases and results in a 36–66% extension of the maximum lifespan (Masoro et al., 1980; Merry and Holehan, 1979, 1981). Although the immediate postweaning period is not the only phase of the lifespan susceptible to the effects of underfeeding, treatments which are continued for a longer fraction of the postweaning lifespan generally have a greater effect on extending longevity. It is uncertain if the immediate postweaning period is more sensitive to the effects of underfeeding in terms of lifespan extension, but it is clear that nutrition intervention restricted to 49 days postweaning substantially reduces tumor incidence in later life (Ross and Bras, 1971).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andrews, W.W., and Ojeda, S.R., 1977, On the feedback actions of estrogen on gonadotropin and prolactin release in infantile female rats, Endocrinology, 101:1517–1523.
Ball, Z.B., Barnes, R.H., and Visscher, M.B., 1947, The effects of dietary caloric restriction on maturity and senescence, with particular reference to fertility and longevity, Am. J. Physiol., 150:511–519.
Berg, B.N., and Simms, H.S., 1960, Nutrition and longevity in the rat. 1. Food intake in relation to size, health and fertility, J. Nutr., 71:242–254.
Bertrand, H.A., 1983, Nutrition-Aging interactions: life prolonging action of food restriction, Rev. Biol. Res. Aging, 1:359–378.
Bertrand, H.A., Lynd, F.T., Masoro, E.J., and Yu, B.P., 1980, Changes in adipose mass and cellularity through the adult life of rats fed ad libitum or a life-prolonging restricted diet, J. Geront., 35:827–835.
Bouille, C., and Assenmacher, I., 1970, Effects of starvation on adrenal cortical function in the rabbit, Endocrinology, 87:1390–1394.
Boulouard, R., 1963, Effects of cold and starvation on adrenocortical activity of rats, Fed. Proc., 22:750.
Campbell, G.A., Kurcz, M., Marshall, S., and Meites, J., 1977, Effects of starvation in rats on serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, thyrotropin, growth hormone and prolactin: response to LH releasing hormone and thyrotropin releasing hormone, Endocrinology, 100:580–587.
Carr, C.J., King, J.T., and Visscher, M.B., 1949, Delay of senescence infertility by dietary restriction, Fed. Proc., 8:22.
Chowers, I., Einat, R., and Feldman, S., 1969, Effects of starvation on levels of corticotrophin releasing factor, corticotrophin and plasma corticosterone in rats, Acta Endocrinol, 61:687.
Cole, G.M., Segali, P.E., and Timiras, P.S., 1982, Hormones during aging, in: “Hormones in Development and Aging,” page 477–550, A. Vernadakis and P.S. Timiras, eds., Spectrum Publ., New York.
Comfort, A., 1979, “The Biology of Senescence,” 3rd edition, Churchill Livingstone, New York.
Cutler, R.G., 1981, Life span extension, in: “Aging, Biology and Behaviour,” page 31–76, J.L. McGaugh and S.B. Kiesler, eds., Academic Press, New York.
Denckla, W.D., 1981, Aging, dying and the pituitary, in: “Biological Mechanisms of Aging,” page 673, R.T. Schimke, ed., NIH Publ. 81-2194, Baltimore.
DiGirolamo, M., Crandall, D., Fried, S.K., Nickel, M., and Hill, J.O., 1984, Effects of chronic food restriction (CFR) and aging on rat adipocyte metabolic activities and hormonal responsiveness, Proc. 7th Int. Congr. Endocr., Quebec, 547 (abstr).
Döhler, K.D., von zur Mühlen, A., and Döhler, U., 1977, Pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin from birth to puberty in female and male rats, Acta Endocrinol, 85:718–728.
Everitt, A.V., 1976, The Nature and Measurement of Aging, in: “Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Aging,” page 5–42, A.V. Everitt and J.A. Burgess, eds., Ch. C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.
Everitt, A.V., 1980, The neuroendocrine system and aging, Gerontology, 26:108–119.
Everitt, A.V., 1981, Pituitary function and aging, in: “Aging: A Challenge to Society VI,” page 249, D. Danon, N.W. Shock and M. Marois, eds., Oxford Univ. Press, New York.
Everitt, A.V., 1982, Nutrition and the hypothalamic-pituitary influence on aging, in: “Nutritional Approaches to Aging Research,” page 245–256, G.B. Moment, ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Everitt, A.V., and Porter, B., 1976, Nutrition and Aging, in: “Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Aging,” page 570–613, A.V. Everitt and J.A. Burgess, eds., Ch. C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.
Fernstrom, J.D., 1977, Effects of the diet on brain neurotransmitters, Metabolism, 26:207–223.
Grewal, T., Mickelson, O., and Hafs, H.D., 1971, Androgen secretion and spermatogenesis in rats following semistarvation, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 138:723–727.
Harrison, D.E., Archer, J.R., and Astle, C.M., 1982, The effect of hypophysectomy on thymic aging in mice, J. Immunol., 129: 2673–2677.
Holehan, A.M., 1984, The effect of ageing and dietary restriction upon reproduction in the female CFY Sprague-Dawley rat, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Hull, U.K.
Holehan, A.M., and Ocana Gil, M.L., 1985, The effect of chronic food restriction on the ability of immature rats to superovulate, in preparation.
Howland, B.E., 1975, The influence of feed restriction and subsequent re-feeding on gonadotrophin secretion and serum testosterone levels in male rats, J. Reprod. Fertil., 44:429–436.
Hruza, A., and Fábry, P., 1957, Some metabolic and endocrine changes due to long-lasting caloric under-nutrition, Gerontologia, 1:279–287.
Kalu, D.N., Cockerham, R., Yu, B.P., and Roos, B.A., 1983, Lifelong dietary modulation of calcitonin levels in rats, Endocrinology, 113:2010–2016.
Kalu, D.N., Hardin, R.R., Cockerham, R., Yu, B.P., Norling, B.K., and Egan, J.W., 1984, Lifelong food restriction prevents senile osteopenia and hyperparathyroidism in F344 rats, Mech. Ageing Dev., 26:103–112.
Lu, J.K.H., 1983, Changes in ovarian function and gonadotropin and prolactin secretion in aging female rats, in: “Neuroendocrinology of Aging,” page 103–122, J. Meites, ed., Plenum Press, New York.
Mackinnon, P.C.B., Puig-Duran, E., and Laynes, R., 1978, Reflections on the attainment of puberty in the rat: have circadian rhythms a role to play in its onset?, Symposium Report no. 11, Puberty, J. Reprod. Fertil., 52:401–412.
Masoro, E.J., Yu, B.P., Bertrand, H.A., and Lynd, F.T., 1980, Nutritional probe of the aging process, Fed. Proc., 39:3178–3182.
McCay, C.M., Maynard, L.A., Sperling, C., and Barnes, L.L., 1939, Retarded growth, lifespan, and ultimate body size and age changes in the albino rat after feeding diets restricted in calories, J. Nutr., 18:1–13.
Merry, B.J., and Holehan, A.M., 1979, Onset of puberty and duration of fertility in rats fed a restricted diet, J. Reprod. Fertil., 57:253–259.
Merry, B.J., and Holehan, A.M., 1981, Serum profiles of LH, FSH, testosterone and 5α-DHT from 21 days to 1000 days of age in ad libitum fed and dietary restricted rats, Exp. Geront., 16:431–444.
Merry, B.J., and Holehan, A.M., 1985a, In vivo DNA synthesis in the dietary restricted long-lived rat, Exp. Gerontol., in press.
Merry, B.J., and Holehan, A.M., 1985b, The effect of refeeding on subsequent survival and DNA synthesis in the dietary restricted long-lived rat, in preparation.
Merry, B.J., Holehan, A.M., and Phillips, J.G., 1985, Modification of reproductive decline and lifespan by dietary manipulation in female CFY Sprague-Dawley rats, Proc. 9th Int. Symp. Comp. Endocr., Hong Kong, December, 1981.
Moment, G.B., 1982, Theories of aging: An overview, in: “Testing the Theories of Aging,” page 1–23, R.G. Adelman and G.S. Roth, eds., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Moment, G.B., Adelman, R.C., and Roth, G.S., 1982, “Nutritional Approaches to Aging Research,” CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Mulinos, M.G., and Pomerantz, L., 1940, Pseudo-hypophysectomy, a condition resembling hypophysectomy produced by malnutrition, J. Nutr., 19:493–504.
Negro-Vilar, A., Dickerman, E., and Meites, J., 1971, Effects of starvation on hypothalamic FSH-RF and pituitary FSH in male rats, Endocrinology, 88:1246–1249.
Nikitin, V.N., 1979, Biochemistry and endocrine status of laboratory animals during experimentally prolonged life under growth-restricting nutrition, Gerontol. Geriatr., 127-134.
Odell, W.D., Swerdloff, R.S., Bain, J., Wollesen, F., and Grover, P.K., 1974, The effect of sexual maturation on testicular response to LH stimulation of testosterone secretion in the intact rat. Endocrinology, 95:1380–1384.
Oppenheimer, J.H., and Dillman, W.H., 1978, Nuclear Receptors for triiodothyronine: A physiological perspective, in: “Receptors and Hormone Action, vol III,” page 1–33, L. Birnbaumer and B.W. O’Malley, eds., Academic Press, New York.
Piacsek, B.E., and Goodspeed, M.P., 1978, Maturation of the pituitary gonadal system in the male rat, J. Reprod. Fertil., 52:29–35.
Pimstone, B.L., Barbezat, G., Hansen, J.D.L., and Murray, P., 1968, Studies on growth hormone secretion in protein-calorie malnutrition, Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 21:482.
Reaven, E., and Reaven, G.M., 1981, Structure and function changes in the endocrine pancreas of aging rats with reference to the modulating effects of exercise and caloric restriction, J. Clin. Invest, 68:75–84.
Regelson, W., 1983, The evidence for pituitary and thyroid control of aging: Is age reversal a myth or reality?! The search for a “Death Hormone”, in: “Intervention in the Aging Process, Part B: Research and Preclinical Screening,” page 3–52, W. Regelson and M. Sinex, eds., Alan R. Liss, New York.
Rosenfeld, M.G., Amara, S.G., Birnberg, N.C., Mennod, J-J., Murdoch, G.H. and Evans, R.M., 1983, Calcitonin, Prolactin, and Growth Hormone Gene Expression as Model Systems for the Characterization of Neuroendocrine Regulation, Recent Prog. Horm. Res., 39:305–351.
Ross, M.H., and Bras, G., 1971, Lasting influence of early caloric restriction on prevalence of neoplasms in the rat, J. Natn. Cancer Inst., 47:1095–1113.
Saksena, S.K., and Lau, I.F., 1979, Variations in serum androgens, progestins, gonadotropins and prolactin levels in male rats from prepubertal to advanced age, Exp. Aging Res., 5:179–194.
Samuels, L.T., 1946, The relation of the anterior pituitary hormones to nutrition, Recent Prog. Horm. Res., 1:147.
Segali, P.E., 1979, Interrelations of dietary and hormonal effects in aging, Mech. Ageing Dev., 9:515–525.
Segali, P.E., and Timiras, P.S., 1975, Age-related changes in thermoregulatory capacity of tryptophan deficient rats, Fed. Proc. 34:83–85.
Segali, P.E., and Timiras, P.S., 1976, Patho-physiologic findings after chronic tryptophan deficiency in rats: a model for delayed growth and aging, Mech. Ageing Dev., 5:109–114.
Segali, P.E., Timiras, P.S., and Walton, J.R., 1983, Low tryptophan diets delay reproductive aging, Mech. Ageing Dev., 23:245–252.
Sorrentino, S., Jr., Reiter, R.J., and Schalch, D.S., 1971. Interactions of the pineal gland, blinding and underfeeding on reproductive organ size and radioimmunoassayable growth hormone. Neuroendocrinology, 7:105–115.
Stewart, S.F., Kopia, S., and Gawlak, D.L., 1975, Effect of underfeeding, hemigonadectomy, sex and cyproterone acetate on serum FSH levels in immature rats, J. Reprod. Fertil., 45: 173–176.
Stuchliková, E., Juricová-Horáková, M., and Deyl, Z, 1975, New aspects of the dietary effect of life prolongation in rodents. What is the role of obesity in ageing? Exp. Gerontol., 10:141–144.
Tannenbaum, G.S., Epelbaum, J., and Brazeau, P., 1977, Ultradian growth hormone (GH) rhythm in the rat: effects of prolonged food deprivation, Fed. Proc., 36:323.
Tannenbaum, G.S., Epelbaum, J., Colle, E., Brazeau, P., and Martin, J.B., 1978, Antiserum to somatostatin reverses starvationinduced inhibition of growth hormone but not insulin secretion, Endocrinology. 102:1909–1914.
Tannenbaum, G.S., Guyda, H.J., and Posner, B.I., 1983, Insulin-like growth factors: A role in growth hormone negative feedback and body weight regulation via brain, Science, 220:77–79.
Timiras, P.S., 1983, Neuroendocrinology of Aging: Retrospective, Current, and Prospective Views, in: “Neuroendocrinology of Aging,” page 5–30, J. Meites, ed., Plenum Press, New York.
Uilenbroek, J. Th. J., van der Schoot, P., and Woutersen, P.J.A., 1981, Changes in steroidogenic activity of preovulatory rat follicles after blockage of ovulation with nembutal, in: “Dynamics of Ovarian Function,” page 44–46, N.B. Schwartz and M. Hunzicker-Dunn, eds., Raven Press, New York.
Vernadakis, A., and Timiras, P.S., 1982, “Hormones in Development and Aging,” MTP Press, Lancaster, England.
Voss, K.H., Masoro, E.J., and Anderson, W., 1982, Modulation of age-related loss of glucagon-promoted lipolysis by food restriction, Mech. Ageing Dev., 18:135–149.
Widdowson, E.M., and Kennedy, G.C., 1962, Rate of growth, mature weight and life-span, Proc. R. Soc., Lond (Biol)., 156:96–108.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1985 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Merry, B.J., Holehan, A.M. (1985). The Endocrine Response to Dietary Restriction in the Rat. In: Woodhead, A.D., Blackett, A.D., Hollaender, A. (eds) Molecular Biology of Aging. Basic Life Sciences, vol 35. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2218-2_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2218-2_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-2220-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-2218-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive