Effects of repeated blood samplings on locomotor activity, evasion and wheel-running activity in mice

Abstract

The effects of serial blood sampling on nocturnal locomotor activity, evasion, wheel-running activity and body mass were studied in male NMRI mice aged 7-8 weeks. The erythrocyte count, haematocrit and haemoglobin concentration at the beginning and end of the study showed no difference in group 1 (two samples per week, 0·08 ml each) while there was a significant decrease in the group 2 values (three samples per week, 0·08 ml each). The total amount of nocturnal locomotor activity decreased in the animals bled repeatedly while the periods with locomotor activity increased. These alterations appeared particularly after bleeding. In the test-group animals evasion showed a decrease compared with the untreated control animals, but there was no evidence of a relation to the timing of the bleedings.