Exposure to a novel stimulus reduces anxiety level in adult and aging rats

Male Wistar rats aged 3, 15 and 24 months were isolated and housed individually for 72 h prior to being subjected to inanimate objects (two objects per rat, each 1.5 cm in diameter and 4 cm in length, made of surgical gauze). Following the exposure to the objects, rats were subsequently tested in an elevated plus-maze. The inanimate objects induced locomotor activity, chewing and transportation of the object. This changed to social interaction and play-like behavioral activity in rats of all ages that were kept in small groups with a latency of 1 to 2 min. One hour after the start of exposure, the animals were tested in the elevated plus-maze to measure anxiety behavior. It was found that all age groups spent significantly more time in the open arm of the elevated plus-maze than the corresponding controls. Latencies to first entry into open arms were also significantly lowered. The number of entries to the open or to the dark arm, however, did not show statistical difference, indicating that the novel object-induced activity failed to exert influence on gross motor activity in the elevated plus-maze. In conclusion, the stimulation elicited by the exposure to novel stimulus (inanimate objects) resulted in a significant reduction of anxiety level both in adult and in aging rats.