Estrogen-mediated individual differences in female rat voluntary running behavior
Victoria Mathis, Lauren Wegman‐Points, Brock Pope, Chia‐Ming Lee, Merna Mohamed, Justin S. Rhodes, Peter Clark, Sarah Clayton, Li‐Lian Yuan
Abstract
This study investigates estrogen's role in voluntary wheel running (VWR) behavior in female rats. Female rats exhibit greater running than males, with estrogen signaling regulating this activity. The estrous cycle influences running, whereas ovariectomy reduces it, and estrogen replacement restores it, maintaining individual differences under all conditions. Both running speed and duration contribute to VWR variations. These findings emphasize individual estrogen regulation in female exercise and provide an estrogen replacement animal model for investigating neurobiological underpinnings that drive voluntary exercise behavior.