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katherine-medina

Effects of experimental increase in insulin-like growth factor 1 on feather growth rate... - 0 views

journals.biologists.com/...ental-increase-in-insulin-like

birds biology HSR2023 insulin plumage feathers molt

shared by katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23 - No Cached
  • In mammals, IGF-1 also induces the proliferation of hair follicles and inhibits apoptosis, and therefore helps to keep them longer in the active (so-called anagen) phase and delay their transition to the regressive (catagen) phase
  • while a recently published study indicated a positive relationship between plumage quality, feather vane length and IGF-1 in a passerine species
  • Detailed quantification of the moulting stage was achieved by scoring the moult of the primary wing feathers and tail feathers on a scale of 0–5, using the standard protocol for recording the progress of feather growth as suggested by the British Trust for Ornithology and further described in
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23
       
      I had no idea one could predict when a bird will molt.
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • As a result, 2 weeks after treatment, IGF-1-treated birds were in a more advanced stage of moult than controls
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23
       
      Interesting
  • In the longer term, IGF-1 treatment altered the intensity of moult: 2 weeks after treatment, control birds were moulting fewer feathers than at the start of the experiment, while IGF-1-treated birds showed the opposite pattern and increased the number of feathers being moulted simultaneously, albeit with substantial individual variation
  • We manipulated IGF-1 levels using an injection of poly-(lactic-co-glycolid acid) (PLGA) microspheres prepared by S.V.-K. and B.A.G. as described previousl
  • For example, stressors may cause a decrease in circulating IGF-1 levels (Tóth et al., 2018), and it may not be beneficial if that would affect the growth rate or the size of the developing flight feathers.
  • The fact that the growth of the tail feathers was also unaffected by the manipulation is more surprising as they are sexually selected ornaments in this species
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23
       
      Wow, I wonder why it had no effect on the growth of the tail feathers.
  • espite the robust lack of effect on feather growth speed, IGF-1 treatment maintained or even increased the number of feathers moulted simultaneously within 2 weeks, while the number of simultaneously growing feathers dropped in controls within the same period
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23
       
      Cool
  • In contrast to hair, the number of feather follicles that produce wing and tail feathers is small and shows no variation within species
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23
       
      I had no idea.
  • Some species, however, moult several wing and tail feathers simultaneously, which also applies to the bearded reedling
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23
       
      Why do some species of birds molt more feathers at the same time than others.
  • . Protein synthesis in tissues, for example, is partly promoted by and regulated through IGF-1 and this might also be of importance during the growth of feathers, in particular considering the increased demand for proteins during moulting
  • The interaction of corticosterone and IGF-1 has been suggested to predict fitness in growing songbirds (Lodjak et al., 2016). Corticosterone levels are known to have a seriously detrimental effect on growing feathers
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23
       
      How does corticosterone and IGF-1 interact?
  • katherine-medina on 10 Jul 23
     
    A study about the effect of insulin on the growth of feathers.
katherine-medina

Placebo-Controlled Clomipramine Trial for the Treatment of Feather Picking Disorder in ... - 0 views

jcore-reference.highwire.org/...261

birds plumage feathers clomipramime HSR2023 feather-plucking-treatment

shared by katherine-medina on 12 Jul 23 - No Cached
  • Three of the 11 birds improved, and side effects were rare
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 12 Jul 23
       
      Why only three birds?
  • 7 A Congo African grey parrot (Psittacus erythacus) was also treated for feather picking and self-mutilation with clomipramine (4 mg/kg PO q 12 hours), which resulted in an increase in appetite and paradoxical anxiety.28 The dose was ultimately increased (9.5 mg/kg PO q 12 hours), and buspirone (0.5 mg/kg PO q 24 hours) was eventually added. Feather regrowth occurred, and feather picking was adequately controlled 3 months after the final dosage adjustment.
  • Eight of 11 birds treated with clomipramine were considered improved by 6 weeks
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 12 Jul 23
       
      Cool
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • There was no significant correlation between duration of feather picking and reduction in time spent preening from baseline to 6 weeks for the clomipraminetreated birds (r=0.314; P=0.174
  • Clomipramine-treated birds had significantly greater improvement at 6 weeks than at 3 weeks (z= −1.897; P=0.029). Of the eight clomipramine-treated birds that were improved at 6 weeks, seven of them began to improve at 3 weeks.
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 12 Jul 23
       
      I do find the results of this experiment interesting as far as the variability of the experiment. It does make me think that clomipramine does not work as well as one might think.
  • One bird that received clomipramine (case no. 11) was worse at 6 weeks, according to both the caregiver and the clinician
  • Approximately 64% of birds treated with clomipramine improved, but only 36% were judged to have substantial improvement.
  • However, the shortest duration of feather picking for birds in this study was 2 months (case no. 10), and this bird’s signs were the only ones to completely resolve during the trial.
  • Self-injurious behaviors in humans, including such varied conditions as trichotillomania, skin picking,
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 12 Jul 23
       
      Maybe one of the reasons for the bird's self mutilation is due to some outside factor.
  • However, results of this trial suggest that clomipramine, at doses higher than those typically used in mammals, may be useful in the treatment regime for feather picking disease in some species of psittacine birds.
    • katherine-medina
      katherine-medina on 12 Jul 23
       
      I wonder if there is any course of treatment that is similar to clomipramine, but has a higher solution rate.
  • katherine-medina on 12 Jul 23
     
    An article showing that clomipramime can help birds with feather plucking problems. (the results were a little bit over 50% of birds responded to the treatment.)
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