ABSTRACT
In relation to Cosmos experiments behavioural responses of rhesus monkeys were investigated and compared with their conditioned reflex activities. The animals with a distinct search-oriented behaviour showed a higher rate of recovery of instrumented reflexes, better stability of conditioned-reflex activities to stress-effects and a faster adaptation to them. Extreme effects associated with changes in the experimental environment and rigid fixation inhibited conditioned-reflex activities to a greater extent than strong but short-term exposures followed by tests in a normal environment. It was also demonstrated that variations of the sleep structure in stress situations were largely dependent on typological features of animals.
Subject(s)
Behavior, Animal/physiology , Conditioning, Classical/physiology , Escape Reaction/physiology , Exploratory Behavior/physiology , Models, Psychological , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adaptation, Physiological/physiology , Adaptation, Psychological/physiology , Animals , Macaca mulatta , Male , Restraint, Physical , Sleep/physiology , Stress, Psychological/physiopathologyABSTRACT
Seven male rhesus monkeys, aged 3.5-4 years, were examined during clinostatic hypokinesia for 20-40 days and after exposure for 16 days. Parameters of the cardiovascular function, external respiration and body temperature were measured. During and after hypokinesia the amplitude of diurnal variations of heart rate tended to decrease. The position of heart rate acrophases shifted most during the first 3 weeks of hypokinesia and during recovery. Changes in the amplitude of diurnal variations of arterial pressure were different. The position of acrophases on the time axis was unstable and tended to recover by hypokinesia days 30-40 and then shifted again on the 1st recovery day. The amplitude of diurnal variations of the respiration rate increased, the position of acrophases on the time axis shifted and their width changed. By the 14th day of readaptation the diurnal dynamics of this parameter tended to recover. During hypokinesia the amplitude of diurnal variations of body temperature increased or decreased and the position of acrophases on the time axis remained stable.