Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 August 2014
Male and female rats of three different strains were subjected to physical restraint, when it was demonstrated that there is a relationship between the strain of the rat and its susceptibility to gastric ulcer formation. Severity of ulceration was greatest in Wistar rats. Hooded Wistar rats were also ulcer-susceptible, but not to such a great extent as Wistar animals. Sprague-Dawley rats were resistant to ulcer formation. Sex differences in ulcer severity were found only with restrained Hooded Wistar rats.
The results of this investigation compare favourably with results published for individual strains of rats by other workers. It is possible that genetic influences may be responsible for the differences observed, but the way in which they operate is not understood.