Marcadores moleculares de estrés en animales de Intervención Asistida
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2017-09-20
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Jaén: Universidad de Jaén
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[ES] Se han dedicado considerables esfuerzos al estudio del bienestar humano durante las Intervenciones
Asistidas con Animales (IAA). Sin embargo, los efectos que producen en los animales de terapia se han
tratado con menos frecuencia. La necesidad de marcadores fisiológicos objetivos es de gran importancia
tanto para el bienestar animal como para maximizar el beneficio terapéutico de las personas que
participan en dicha intervención. El estudio presenta una revisión bibliográfica que tiene por objeto
identificar potenciales marcadores moleculares o biomarcadores fiables y prácticos para valorar el
estrés en animales de intervención asistida (perros y caballos), ya que se considera una excelente
manera de evaluar objetivamente la respuesta ante una situación estresante. Se han identificado 87
estudios de marcadores moleculares en perros y caballos, sólo 17 corresponden a animales de
intervención. No hay un único parámetro molecular que haya demostrado su valor como marcador de
estrés en animales de intervención asistida. Esto puede ser debido a la escasez de estudios existentes y
a las limitaciones metodológicas de los mismos que dificultan la obtención de resultados concluyentes.
En IAA el marcador molecular más utilizado en ambas especies es el cortisol, en saliva en canes y en
plasma en caballos. Son necesarios más estudios de indicadores simples y no invasivos de estrés que
presenten un rigor en la metodología y en la técnica de análisis para poder avanzar hacia
investigaciones futuras con garantía, así como es necesaria la utilización de varios marcadores para
obtener una respuesta más integrada.
[EN] There have been considerable efforts to study human well-being in animal-assisted interventions (AAI). However, the impact of these activities on the animals has been less investigated. The requirement for objective physiological markers is of great importance, both for the animal welfare and the people who participate in these therapies, in order to maximize the therapeutic benefit. This study presents a review that aims to identify potential molecular markers or biomarkers which are reliable and practical for assessing stress in animals of assisted interventions (dogs and horses), since they are considered an excellent way to objectively evaluate the response to a stressful situation. We have found 87 studies of stress-related molecular markers in dogs and horses, just 17 of them involving therapy animals. There is not a single molecular parameter that has demonstrated its value as a marker of stress in animalassisted intervention. This may be due to the scarcity of existing studies and their methodological limitations, which makes it difficult to obtain conclusive results. The most used biomarker in AAI for both species is cortisol, particularly salivary cortisol in dogs and plasma cortisol in horses. To be able to make progress in this field with proper guaranties, more studies of simple and non-invasive indicators of stress made with rigour in methodology and analysis techniques are needed, as well as the use of more markers in these studies in order to obtain a more integral approach to stress response.
[EN] There have been considerable efforts to study human well-being in animal-assisted interventions (AAI). However, the impact of these activities on the animals has been less investigated. The requirement for objective physiological markers is of great importance, both for the animal welfare and the people who participate in these therapies, in order to maximize the therapeutic benefit. This study presents a review that aims to identify potential molecular markers or biomarkers which are reliable and practical for assessing stress in animals of assisted interventions (dogs and horses), since they are considered an excellent way to objectively evaluate the response to a stressful situation. We have found 87 studies of stress-related molecular markers in dogs and horses, just 17 of them involving therapy animals. There is not a single molecular parameter that has demonstrated its value as a marker of stress in animalassisted intervention. This may be due to the scarcity of existing studies and their methodological limitations, which makes it difficult to obtain conclusive results. The most used biomarker in AAI for both species is cortisol, particularly salivary cortisol in dogs and plasma cortisol in horses. To be able to make progress in this field with proper guaranties, more studies of simple and non-invasive indicators of stress made with rigour in methodology and analysis techniques are needed, as well as the use of more markers in these studies in order to obtain a more integral approach to stress response.