Effects of cool and hot humid environmental conditions on neuroendocrine responses of horses to treadmill exercise

To determine the effects of exercise, high heat and humidity and acclimation on plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline, beta-endorphin and cortisol concentrations, five horses performed a competition exercise test (CET; designed to simulate the speed and endurance test of a three-day event) in cool dry (CD) (20 degrees C/40% RH) and hot humid (30 degrees C/80% RH) conditions before (pre-acclimation) and after (post-acclimation) a 15 day period of humid heat acclimation. Plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations pre-acclimation were significantly increased compared with exercise in the CD trial at the end of Phases C (P<0.05) and D (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively) and at 2 min recovery (P<0.01), with adrenaline concentrations still elevated after 5 min of recovery (P<0.001). Plasma beta-endorphin concentrations were increased at the end of Phases C (P<0.05) and X (P<0.01) and at 5 and 30 min recovery (P<0.05) in the pre-acclimation session. Plasma cortisol concentrations were elevated after the initial warm up period pre-acclimation (P<0.01) and at the end of Phase C (P<0.05), compared with the CD trial. A 15 day period of acclimation significantly increased plasma adrenaline concentrations at 2 min recovery (P<0.001) and plasma cortisol concentration at the end of Phase B (P<0.01) compared with pre-acclimation. Acclimation did not significantly influence noradrenaline or beta-endorphin responses to exercise, although there was a trend for plasma beta-endorphin to be lower at the end of Phases C and X and after 30 min recovery compared with pre-acclimation. Plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline, beta-endorphin and cortisol concentrations were increased by exercise in cool dry conditions and were further increased by the same exercise in hot humid conditions. Exercise responses post-acclimation suggest that adrenaline and noradrenaline may play a role in the adaptation of horses to thermal stress and that changes in plasma beta-endorphin concentrations could be used as a sensitive indicator of thermal tolerance before and after acclimation. The use of plasma cortisol as a specific indicator of heat stress and thermal tolerance before or after acclimation in exercising horses appears limited.