Baseline 24-Hour Plasma Corticosterone Rhythm in Normal, Sham-Operated and Septally-Lesioned Rats

In order to test whether septal ablation alters the resting 24-hour plasma corticosterone rhythm or increases sensitivity to stimulation, baseline 24-hour plasma corticosterone values were measured in normal, sham-operated and septally-lesioned rats under ‘standard’ and ‘rigorous’ environmental conditions. Mapping the rhythm at 4-hour intervals in 24 h confirmed that there is an elevation in the rhythm around trough time following septal damage …