The elevated gradient of aversion: a new apparatus to study the rat behavior dimensions of anxiety, fear, and impulsivity

Few behavioral tests allow measuring several characteristics and most require training, complex analyses, and/or are time-consuming. We present an apparatus based on rat exploratory behavior. Composed of three different environments, it allows the assessment of more than one behavioral characteristic in a short 3-min session. Factorial analyses have defined three behavioral dimensions, which we named Exploration, Impulsivity, and Self-protection. Behaviors composing the Exploration factor were increased by chlordiazepoxide and apomorphine and decreased by pentylenetetrazole. Behaviors composing the Impulsivity factor were increased by chlordiazepoxide, apomorphine, and both acute and chronic imipramine treatments. Behaviors composing the Self-protection factor were decreased by apomorphine. We submitted Wistar rats to the open-field test, the elevated-plus maze, and to the apparatus we are proposing. Measures related to exploratory behavior in all three tests were correlated. Measures composing the factors Impulsivity and Self-protection did not correlate with any measures from the two standard tests. Also, compared with existing impulsivity tests, the one we proposed did not require previous learning, training, or sophisticated analysis. Exploration measures from our test are as easy to obtain as the ones from other standard tests. Thus, we have proposed an apparatus that measured three different behavioral characteristics, was simple and fast, did not require subjects to be submitted to previous learning or training, was sensitive to drug treatments, and did not require sophisticated data analyses.

Multidimensional study of orofacial chronic neuropathic pain: an experimental study in rats

Orofacial neuropathic chronic pain (NCP) is frequently attributed to lesions caused by orofacial surgeries and dental treatments. there are many experimental models available to study orofacial NCP, however, many are extremely painful for the animal due to the amplitude of the innervated region. a previously proposed mental nerve constriction model, mNC, was used in this project. forty wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: one group included rats with mNC (n=20), and another rats with sham lesions (n=20). through the use of the fixed ratio program and the progressive program, a decrease of motivation for a sweet substance, caused by the lesion, was evaluated. the possibility of alterations in cognitive learning and adaptation abilities was also assessed using the go/no-go behavioral task. the mNC group showed low induced and spontaneously evoked pain responses, as well as a decrease in the motivation for sucrose, a sign of anhedonia. this decrease does not depend on taste processing. finally, although no alterations in the learning-memory process were observed, the mNC group did show alterations when adapting to a new rule.

Impaired executive functions in experimental model of temporal lobe epilepsy / Prejuízo das funções executivas no modelo experimental de epilepsia do lobo temporal

ABSTRACT Objective The present study aimed to investigate cognitive and behavioural changes consistent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD -like behavior in male Wistar rats with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Method Male Wistar rats at 25 day of age were submitted to animal model of TLE by pilocarpine injection (350 mg/kg, ip) and a control group received saline 0.9%. The animals were continuously video monitored up to the end of experiments. The behavioural tests (open field, elevated plus maze and operant conditioning box) started from 60 days postnatal. Results Animals with TLE exhibited elevated locomotor activity, reduced level of anxiety-related behavior, impulsivity and impaired visuospatial working memory. Conclusion Taken as a whole, we concluded that animals with TLE exhibited some cognitive and behavioural changes consistent with ADHD-like behavior.

RESUMO Objetivo O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar as alterações cognitivas e comportamentais consistentes com o comportament de transtorno de deficit de atenção e hiperatividade (TDAH) -like em ratos Wistar machos com epilepsia do lobo temporal (ELT). Método Ratos Wistar machos com 25 dias de vida foram submetidos a modelo animal de ELT pela injeção de pilocarpina (350 mg / kg, ip) e grupo controle recebeu salina 0,9%. Os animais foram monitorados continuamente por vídeo até ao final dos experimentos. Os testes comportamentais (campo aberto, labirinto em cruz elevado e caixa de condicionamento operante) começaram a partir de 60 dias pós-natal. Resultados Os animais com ELT exibiram aumento da atividade locomotora, redução do comportamento relacionado com a ansiedade, impulsividade e prejuízo da memória de trabalho visuospatial. Conclusão Em conjunto, concluímos que os animais com ELT apresentaram algumas alterações cognitivas e comportamentais consistentes com o comportamento TDAH-like.

Relative luminosity in the plus maze upon the exploratory behaviour of female Wistar rats / Efeito da luminosidade relativa em labirinto em cruz sobre o comportamento exploratório de fêmeas Wistar

Objective This study evaluated the provision of two configuration of the Elevated Pluz-Maze (EPM) by analizing the exploratory behaviour of female Wistar rats in different phases of the estrous cycle in EPMs with different gradients of luminosity between the open and enclosed arms (O/E∆Lux).Methods Female Wistar rats were treated with Midazolam (MDZ, 1.0 mg.kg-1) and were tested for their exploratory behaviour in either the EPM 10 O/E∆Lux or EPM 96 O/E∆Lux.Results A multiple regression analysis indicated that the O/E∆Lux is negatively associated with the %Open arm entries and %Open arm time, suggesting that as O/E∆Lux increases, the open arm exploration decreases. The estrous cycle phase did not influence the open-arm exploration in either EPM. MDZ- induced anxiolysis was detected in 96 O/E∆Lux EPM in all phases of the EC.Discussion Results of this study suggest the importance of the O/E∆Lux to establish the arm preference in the EPM, and to preserve the predictive validity of the EPM.

Objetivo Avaliar a provisão de duas configuracōes do Labirinto Elevado em Cruz (LEC) através do comportamento exploratório de ratas Wistar em diferentes fases do ciclo estral (CE) em LEC com diferentes gradientes de luminosidade entre os braços aberto e fechado (A/F∆Lux).Método Ratas Wistar foram tratadas com Midazolam (MDZ, 1.0 mg.kg-1) e foram testadas no LEC 10 A/F∆Lux ou LEC 96 A/F∆Lux.Resultados A análise de regressão múltipla indicou que o A/F∆Lux está negativamente associado com a % de entrada no braço aberto e % de tempo no braço aberto, sugerindo que no aumento do A/F∆Lux, a exploração do braço aberto diminui. A fase do CE não influenciou a exploração do braço aberto no LEC. A ansiólise induzida pelo MDZ foi demonstrada no 96 LEC A/F∆Lux em todas as fases do CE.Discussão Estes resultados sugerem a importância do A/F∆Lux para estabelecer a preferência da exploração do LEC e preservar a validade do LEC.

Increased coherence among striatal regions in the theta range during attentive wakefulness

The striatum, the largest component of the basal ganglia, is usually subdivided into associative, motor and limbic components. However, the electrophysiological interactions between these three subsystems during behavior remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that the striatum might be particularly active during exploratory behavior, which is presumably associated with increased attention. We investigated the modulation of local field potentials (LFPs) in the striatum during attentive wakefulness in freely moving rats. To this end, we implanted microelectrodes into different parts of the striatum of Wistar rats, as well as into the motor, associative and limbic cortices. We then used electromyograms to identify motor activity and analyzed the instantaneous frequency, power spectra and partial directed coherence during exploratory behavior. We observed fine modulation in the theta frequency range of striatal LFPs in 92.5 ± 2.5% of all epochs of exploratory behavior. Concomitantly, the theta power spectrum increased in all striatal channels (P < 0.001), and coherence analysis revealed strong connectivity (coefficients >0.7) between the primary motor cortex and the rostral part of the caudatoputamen nucleus, as well as among all striatal channels (P < 0.001). Conclusively, we observed a pattern of strong theta band activation in the entire striatum during attentive wakefulness, as well as a strong coherence between the motor cortex and the entire striatum. We suggest that this activation reflects the integration of motor, cognitive and limbic systems during attentive wakefulness.

Behavioral changes in Rattus norvegicus experimentally infected by Toxocara canis larvae / Alterações de comportamento em Rattus norvegicus experimentalmente infectados por larvas de Toxocara canis

Toxocara canis is a common canine nematode parasite and one of its possible transmission mechanisms is the predation of infected rodents by canids. Fifty Rattus norvegicus were used to study behavioral alterations in rodents infected by T. canis larvae. The rats were divided into three groups: G1, 20 rats infected with 300 T. canis eggs; G2, 20 rats infected with 2,000 T. canis eggs; and G3, 10 non-infected rats. Thirty and 60 days post-infection, rats from all the groups were submitted to an open-field apparatus for five min and subsequently, to an elevated plus-maze apparatus, again for five min. The data obtained indicated improvement in mobility (total locomotion time and rearing frequency) and exploratory behavior in infected rats, principally in G2, which provides some support for the hypothesis that behavioral alterations in rodents infected by Toxocara canis larvae enhance the transmission rate of this ascarid to dogs.

Toxocara canis é um nematódeo parasita habitual do intestino delgado de cães. Um dos mecanismos conhecidos de transmissão para cães é representado pela predação de pequenos roedores que, como hospedeiros paratênicos albergam larvas de Toxocara canis em seus tecidos. Para avaliar a ocorrência de alterações de comportamento em roedores infectados por Toxocara canis 50 exemplares de Rattus norvegicus foram utilizados no experimento. Os animais foram divididos em três grupos: G1 - 20 ratos infectados com 300 ovos de Toxocara canis; G2 - 20 ratos infectados com 2.000 ovos de Toxocara canis e G3 - 10 ratos sem infecção. Trinta e 60 dias após a infecção avaliou-se a ocorrência de alterações comportamentais nos três grupos submetendo os animais, primeiramente, a uma arena de campo aberto durante cinco minutos e, a seguir, a labirinto em cruz elevado por mais cinco minutos. Os resultados obtidos indicaram aumento significativo da mobilidade (tempo total de movimentação e número de vezes em que os animais se levantaram nas patas traseiras) e comportamento exploratório nos ratos infectados, principalmente nos pertencentes ao G2, sugerindo a ocorrência de alterações comportamentais que favoreceriam a transmissão de Toxocara canis para canídeos por meio de relação presa-predador.

Comportamento exploratório de potros e éguas mediante a introdução de novos objetos em seu meio / Exploratory behavior of foals and mares front introduction of new objects in their environment

Comportamento exploratório é a atividade que o animal realiza para aumentar sua interação com o meio após ser motivado pela curiosidadee só é exibido quando o animal se sente num ambiente livre detensão. O objetivo deste estudo foi medir o comportamento exploratório de potros e éguas mediante a introdução de objetos desconhecidos. Para tanto, quatro potros e éguas foram observados durante sete sessões diárias de 60 minutos, sempre com o uso de um objeto diferente. Não se observou diferença nas freqüências de olhar,dirigir-se ou tocar no objeto entre potros e éguas. O tempo total detoque foi de 45,6 minutos, divididos em 64 toques, concentrados principalmente nos 20 minutos iniciais de cada sessão. Embora não tenha sido verificada diferença no número de aproximações solitáriasou aos pares e, na aproximação aos pares, não tenha havido diferença no número de iniciativas de aproximação por parte de potros ou éguas, observou-se que os potros aproximaram-se de forma solitária mais vezes que suas mães. Verificou-se que não foi sempre o mesmo animal quem tocou no objeto primeiro, mas notou-se que quatroanimais revezaram-se nesta posição. Dessa forma, concluiu-se que aintrodução de objetos desconhecidos no ambiente serve de motivação para que éguas e potros exibam comportamento exploratório semelhantes, todavia os potros apresentam maior atividade de manipulação e têm mais iniciativa de aproximação solitária, sugerindo que os potros são mais curiosos que as éguas. A predisposição de alguns animais por tocar no objeto primeiro, possivelmente, indique diferenças individuais no grau de curiosidade

Exploratory behavior is done by animals to increase their interaction to the environment after be stimulated by curiosity,when animal feels that is in a secured place. The objective of this study was to evaluate exploratory behavior of foals front of introduction of new objects in their environment. Four foals and mares were observed in seven day sections of 60 minutes each one, always with a new object. No differences were verified about frequencies of looking, going to or touching into foals and mares. Total time of touching was 45,6 minutes, divided in 64 touches, mainly in first 20 minutes of each observation.However there is no statistical difference into solitary or impaired approaches and in impaired approaches there is no differences into foals or mares initiatives, foals done more solitary approaches than mares. Four animals touched the objects in first place,suggesting predisposition to this position based in individual differences. So, we concluded that new objects can stimulatesimilarly foals and mares to exhibit exploratory behavior, butfoals show more manipulation activity, suggesting that are morecurious than mares and predisposition to touch objects first depends of individual differences

Alterações neuro-comportamentais em ratos machos adultos em modelos de programação pela hiperleptinemia na lactação / Neuro-behavioral alterations in adult male rats in programming models for hyperleptinemia in lactation

Existe uma grande associação entre alterações em parâmetros nutricionais, hormonais ou ambientais durante estágios iniciais da vida, particularmente durante os períodos gestacional e de lactação, e o surgimento de doenças crônicas na vida adulta tais como obesidade, diabetes, doenças cardiovasculares, ansiedade e depressão. Neste trabalho, foram avaliados os efeitos cognitivo-comportamentais, em ratos Wistar adultos, da administração de leptina (8ug/100g, dia, sc) durante os primeiros 10 dias de lactação: 1) diretamente nos filhotes; 2) nas progenitoras. A memória e o aprendizado, os níveis de comportamento associados à ansiedade e à busca pela novidade foram avaliados em animais adultos através, respectivamente, dos seguintes testes comportamentais: labirinto aquático radial de 8 braços, labirinto em cruz elevado e campo vazado. No primeiro modelo (injeção nos filhotes), foram observados altos níveis de ansiedade e de busca por novos estímulos, enquanto que a memória e aprendizagem e atividade locomotora não foram afetados. No segundo modelo (injeção nas progenitoras), foram detectados redução dos níveis de ansiedade e melhora no desempenho associado à memória e ao aprendizado. Porém, não houve diferença nos níveis de busca por novos estímulos e no nível de atividade locomotora. Também são observadas diferenças em parâmetros somáticos, endócrinos e metabólicos entre modelos. O primeiro modelo resulta em hiperfagia, maior peso corporal por aumento de massa magra, hiperleptinemia, hipertireoidismo, hipertrigliceridemia, hiperinsulinemia e hipoadiponectinemia, hipertensão, aumento de catecolamina e de corticosterona, além de resistência hipotalâmica à leptina. O segundo modelo induz hiperfagia e maior peso corporal por acúmulo de gordura, hiperleptinemia, hiperglicemia, eutireoidismo, normoinsulinemia e resistência central à leptina. As seguintes possibilidades podem explicar as diferenças cognitivos-comportamentais observadas entre os modelos estudados ...

A considerable association exists between variations in the gestational and lactation periods, and the appearance of chronic diseases in adult life, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, anxiety and depression. In the present study, the cognitive and behavioral effects of leptin injection (8ug/100g/day, sc) during the first 10 days of lactation were evaluated in adult male Wistar rats. In the first part of the study, leptin was injected directly in the offspring. In the second part of the study, leptin was injected in the lactation dams. Memory and learning, levels of anxiety-like behavior and levels of novelty-seeking behavior were evaluated by testing animals in, respectively, the radial-arm water maze, the elevated plus maze and the hole board arena. In the first model (offspring injection), high levels of anxiety and of novelty-seeking behavior were observed. Memory/learning and locomotor activity were unaffected. In the second model (dam injection), reduced levels of anxiety and better memory/learning performance were observed. Conversely, novelty-seeking and locomotor behavior were unaffected. Differences between models regarding somatic, endocrine and metabolic parameters are also observed. The first model presents hyperphagia, higher lean body mass, hyperleptinemia, hyperthyroidism, hipertrigliceridemia, hiperinsulinemia and hypoadiponectinemia, hypertension, increased levels of catecholamines and corticosterone, and hypothalamic leptin resistance. The second model induces hyperphagia, higher body mass, thou by accumulation of fat, hyperleptinemia, hyperglycemia, euthyroidism, normoinsulinemia and central mechanism of leptin resistance. The following possibilities may explain the cognitive-behavioral differences observed between models in the present study: 1) differences in somatic, endocrine and metabolic parameters; 2) modifications of the relationship between dams and their offspring, since leptin injection in the dams may reduce ...

Plasticity in primary somatosensory cortex resulting from environmentally enriched stimulation and sensory discrimination training

We studied primary-somatosensory cortical plasticity due to selective stimulation of the sensory periphery by two procedures of active exploration in adult rats. Subjects, left with only three adjacent whiskers, were trained in a roughness discrimination task or maintained in a tactile enriched environment. Either training or enrichment produced 3-fold increases in the barrel cortex areas of behaviorally-engaged whisker representations, in their zones of overlap. While the overall areas of representation expanded dramatically, the domains of exclusive principal whisker responses were virtually identical in enriched vs normal rats and were significantly smaller than either group in roughness discrimination-trained rats. When animals were trained or exposed to enriched environments with the three whiskers arrayed in an are or row, very equivalent overlaps in representations were recorded across their greatly-enlarged whisker representation zones. This equivalence in distortion in these behavioral preparations is in contradistinction to the normal rat, where overlap is strongly biased only along rows, probably reflecting the establishment of different relations with the neighboring cortical columns. Overall, plasticity phenomena are argued to be consistent with the predictions of competitive Hebbian network plasticity.

Behavioral flexibility of a group of bearded capuchin monkeys (Cebus libidinosus) in the National Park of Brasília (Brazil): consequences of cohabitation with visitors / Flexibilidade comportamental de um grupo de macacos-prego (Cebus libidinosus) no Parque Nacional de Brasília (Brasil): conseqüências da convivência com os visitantes

Increasing urbanization and deforestation have enhanced the opportunities of contact between humans and monkeys and the impact of human activities on primate behavior is receiving growing attention. This study explores whether activity budgets and diet of a group of capuchin monkeys (Cebus libidinosus) inhabiting the area of the swimming pools of the National Park of Brasília is affected by the presence of visitors providing food to them. During one year, both in the dry and the wet seasons, we scored capuchins' behavior via scan sampling every ten minutes. Results showed that this group spent less time foraging for wild foods than other comparable groups living in similar habitats. Moreover, capuchins relied more on human food during the dry season, when pulpy fruits were less available, than in the wet season. Our findings confirm other studies on different monkey species that have shown that access to human food decreases the time spent foraging for wild food and the home range size. They also show that capuchins are able to modify their diet, to exploit alternative food sources, and to change their activity budget in response to the availability of new food opportunities and to seasonal food availability.

Recentemente, o impacto de atividades humanas sobre o comportamento de primatas tem recebido maior importância dado o crescente desmatamento e urbanização, que têm favorecido o aumento do contato entre humanos e macacos. O presente estudo descreve os padrões de atividade e a dieta de um grupo de macacos-prego (Cebus libidinosus) que vive no Parque Nacional de Brasília. O Parque é freqüentado diariamente por visitantes, de modo que os animais estão habituados à presença humana, bem como ao consumo de itens de sua dieta. Observações comportamentais do grupo foram realizadas ao longo de um ano, compreendendo a estação seca e a chuvosa, utilizando-se registro de varredura a cada 10 minutos. Resultados obtidos indicaram que o grupo despendeu menos tempo forrageando itens naturais do que outros grupos vivendo em habitats similares. Além disso, durante a estação seca, quando há menor disponibilidade dos frutos de polpa, os macacos-prego alimentaram-se mais de itens da dieta humana como uma fonte alternativa de recurso. Como demonstrado em estudos anteriores realizados com outras espécies de macacos, a alimentação baseada em itens da dieta humana pareceu diminuir a motivação dos animais para forragear no seu habitat natural, assim como promoveu a redução do tempo gasto no forrageamento e a redução de sua área de uso. Nossos resultados indicaram ainda que o consumo de comida humana reflete o caráter adaptável dos animais em explorar fontes alternativas de recurso, bem como a sua habilidade em modificar a sua dieta e padrões de comportamento face às mudanças ambientais.

Thigmotactic responses in an open-field

The goal of the present study was to investigate the role of thigmotaxis (the tendency to remain close to vertical surfaces) in rat exploratory behavior in an open-field. Thigmotaxis was investigated in a parametric way, using 24 experimentally adult naive male Wistar rats (210-230 g). Exploratory behavior was studied in an open-field (N = 12) in 5-min sessions and behavior was analyzed in terms of where it occurred: in areas surrounded by two, one, or no walls. Another group of rats (N = 12) was studied in an open-field with blocks placed near two of the corners so as to make these corner areas surrounded by three walls. The floor of the open-fields was divided into 20-cm squares in order to locate the exact place of occurrence of each behavior. The following behaviors were recorded: entries into the squares, rearings, and groomings. In both types of open-field the rats chose to remain longer in the squares surrounded by the largest possible number of walls. In one of the open-fields, the mean time (seconds) spent in squares surrounded by two walls was longer than the time spent in squares surrounded by one or no walls (37.2, 7.7, and 1.8 s, respectively). In the other open-field, the mean time spent in squares surrounded by three walls was longer than the time spent in squares surrounded by two, one or no walls (41.7, 20.4, 7.0, and 2.6 s, respectively). Other measures presented a similar profile. These results indicate that rats are sensitive to the number of walls in an environment and prefer to remain close to them.

Evaluation of two experimental models of hepatic encephalopathy in rats

The serious neuropsychological repercussions of hepatic encephalopathy have led to the creation of several experimental models in order to better understand the pathogenesis of the disease. In the present investigation, two possible causes of hepatic encephalopathy, cholestasis and portal hypertension, were chosen to study the behavioral impairments caused by the disease using an object recognition task. This working memory test is based on a paradigm of spontaneous delayed non-matching to sample and was performed 60 days after surgery. Male Wistar rats (225-250 g) were divided into three groups: two experimental groups, microsurgical cholestasis (N = 20) and extrahepatic portal hypertension (N = 20), and a control group (N = 20). A mild alteration of the recognition memory occurred in rats with cholestasis compared to control rats and portal hypertensive rats. The latter group showed the poorest performance on the basis of the behavioral indexes tested. In particular, only the control group spent significantly more time exploring novel objects compared to familiar ones (P < 0.001). In addition, the portal hypertension group spent the shortest time exploring both the novel and familiar objects (P < 0.001). These results suggest that the existence of portosystemic collateral circulation per se may be responsible for subclinical encephalopathy.

An "enactive" approach to integrative and comparative biology: thoughts on the table

We discuss the concept of Enaction as originally proposed by Varela. We attempt to exemplify through two specific topics, sensory ecology and behavior, as well as physiological and behavioral ecology, on which the enactive approach is based. We argue that sensory physiology allows us to explore the biological and cognitive meaning of animal 'private' sensory channels, beyond the scope of our own sensory capacity. Furthermore, after analyzing the interplay between factors that may impose limits upon an animal's use of time and energy, we call for a program of research in integrative and comparative biology that simultaneously considers evolutionary ecology (including physiological and behavioral ecology) and neurobiology (including cognitive mechanisms as well structural design). We believe that this approach represents a shift in scientific attitude among biologists concerning the place of biological and ecological topics in studies of integrative and comparative biology and biological diversity and vice versa.

Effect of repeated stress on novelty-induced antinociception in rats

There is extensive evidence that acute stress induces an analgesic response in rats. On the other hand, repeatedly stressed animals may present the opposite effect, i.e., hyperalgesia. Furthermore, exposure to novelty is known to induce antinociception. The effects of repeated restraint stress on nociception after exposure to novelty, as measured by the tail-flick latency (TFL), were studied in adult male rats. The animals were stressed by restraint 1 h daily, 5 days a week for 40 days. The control group was not submitted to restraint. Nociception was assessed with a tail-flick apparatus. After being familiarized with the TFL apparatus, each group was subdivided into two other groups, i.e., with or without novelty. Animals were subjected to the TFL measurement twice. For the animals exposed to novelty, the first TFL measurement was made immediately before, and the second 2 min after a 2-min exposure to a new environment. While the control group presented an increased TFL after exposure to a novel environment, chronically stressed animals did not show this effect. These results suggest that repeated restraint stress induces an alteration in the nociceptive response, perhaps as a result of an alteration in endogenous opioids in these animals

Isolation modifies the behavioural response in rats.

Twenty-four male wister rats were reared from weaning either alone (isolation reared) or in groups of five (socially reared) for 6 weeks. Thereafter, the present study examined and compared the behaviour of isolation and socially reared rats in the test of social interaction, in the elevated plus-maze test of anxiety, in the open field behavior of exploration and locomotion activity, and the depressive behaviour in forced swim test. Under high light in unfamiliar conditions isolation reared rats spent significantly more time in aggressive interactions (P < 0.05) and high levels of aggressive behaviour compared to the socially reared rats (P < 0.05). Isolation reared rats had spent less time in the open arms than the socially reared rats in the maze test (P < 0.05). Isolation reared rats were more exploratory than the socially reared rats in the open field test and the defaecation scores were less compared to the socially reared controls (P < 0.05). Isolated rats spent less time immobile on the rats' forced swim test behaviour but the difference was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that isolation reared rats are nervous, aggressive and hyperactive animals in a novel field. It appears that isolation rearing in the early stages of life has modified a variety of behaviour in the adult rats, and the investigation of the pattern of behavioural changes in isolation reared rats may help to explore the environmental influences on the development of human psychopathology.

Restraint-induced hypoactivity in an elevated plus-maze

Rodents submitted to restraint stress show decreased activity in an elevated plus-maze (EPM) 24 h later. The objective of the present study was to determine if a certain amount of time is needed after stress for the development of these changes. We also wanted to verify if behavioral tolerance of repeated daily restraint would be detectable in this model. Male Wistar rats were restrained for 2 h and tested in the EPM 1, 2, 24 or 48 h later. Another group of animals was immobilized daily for 2 h for 7 days, being tested in the EPM 24 h after the last restraint period. Restraint induced a significant decrease in the percent of entries and time spent in the open arms, as well as a decrease in the number of enclosed arm entries. The significant effect in the number of entries and the percentage of time spent in the open arms disappeared when the data were submitted to analysis of covariance using the number of enclosed arm entries as a covariate. This suggests that the restraint-induced hypoactivity influences the measures of open arm exploration. The modifications of restraint-induced hypoactivity are evident 24 or 48 h, but not 1 or 2 h, after stress. In addition, rats stressed daily for seven days became tolerant to this effect

Differences in active avoidance behaviour of hypoactive and hyperactive rats subjected to immobilisation stress.

Open field activity was studied in Wistar rats. Animals with low scores of ambulatory and rearing behaviours were grouped as hypoactive and those with high scores as hyperactive. Acquisition of active avoidance learning in a shuttle box was studied in the two groups. Hyperactive rats in contrast to hypoactive rats showed a better acquisition of avoidance learning. Learning was suppressed in both groups by domperidone, but was facilitated by immobilisation stress in the hypoactive group only. The two groups did not differ in the basal and stress evoked heart rates. These observations suggest that immobilisation stress favours enhancement of the dopaminergic related behaviour like avoidance learning in hypoactive rats.

Food deprivation and hypothermia in desynchronized sleep-deprived rats

Reports of the effect of desynchronized sleep (DS) deprivation on body temperature (Tb) of rats in the literature are contradictory. Since conspicuous body weight loss is common in such deprivation, the effect of food plus DS deprivation on Tb of adult male Wistar rats was studied. DS deprivation carried out by the small platform method with food ad libitum (N = 8) induced hyperthermia (Tb above 38.5 degrees Celsius) in 1 to 3 rats daily until the 8th day, when a case of discrete hypothermia (Tb below 36.9 degrees Celsius) appeared. Food deprivation alone started to induce hypothermia on the third day in one (20 percent) out of five rats. Fasting imposed from the 5th to the 8th day of DS deprivation (N = 12) caused hypothermia in 33 percent and 67 percent of the animals on the second and third day of starvation, respectively. DS compensatory manifestations in 6 starved rats intensified (N = 2) or precipitated (N = 2) hypothermia after the end of sleep deprivation. It is concluded that the hypothermia is not a primary effect of DS deprivation, and this state of sleep seems to have its particular functional role which is independent of thermoregulation.

Efectos de la estimulación versus privación sensorio-motriz sobre el desarrollo neuronal en la corteza motora / Effects of sensor-motor stimulation versus deprivation on neuronal development in the motor cortex

El objetivo del presente estudio experimental fue evaluar el efecto de la estimulación vs. privación sensorio-motriz temprana sobre el desarrollo neuronal y conductual. Se utilizaron ratas albinas de la cepa Sprague-Dawley, las cuales fueron expuestas a 3 ambientes diferenciales (estimulado, control y deprivado), entre los días postnatales 5 y 21 (período crítico). Una vez realizada la evaluación conductual, los sujetos fueron sacrificados en día postnatal 22 y sus cerebros impregnados con le método de Golgi-Cox-Sholl, estudiándose bajo cámara lúcida dos variables estructurales en la corteza motora: desarrollo dendrítico basal/neurona y grado de citodiferenciación de grupos neuronianos. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que tanto la estimulación como la deprivación, realizada durante el período de lactancia, modifican el desarrollo neuronal en la corteza motora, tradicionalmente considerada menos plástica que las áreas sensoriales; resultados que son consistentes con la capacidad exploratoria analizada en el test de campo abierto

Effect of post-training injections of flumazenil into the amygdala, hippocampus and septum on retention of habituation and of inhibitory avoidance in rats

Adult rats were submitted to two different behavioral tasks using the same apparantus: the habituation of exploration of the apparatus considered as a novel environment as measured by the decrease in number of reaings and of ambulation between training and testing, and step-down inhibitory avoidance as measured by the increase in the latency to step down from a start platform into an electrified grid between the training and the test session.The training-test interval for both tasks was 20 h.The immediate post-training injection of the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil (10 nmol) bilateral into the hippocampus enhanced retention of the two tasks.Application of the same drug, at the same dose to the septum or amygdala had no effect on habituation but enhanced retention of the avoidance task. The data are consistent with previous findings showing that both tasks are accompanied by the release of benzodiazepine like immunoreactivity in the three structures and that this release is greater after the avoidance task. The present findings suggest a differential regional involvement of endogenous benzodiazepine-mediated mechanisms in memory modulation, according to the task undertaken