The relative playfulness of juvenile Lewis and Fischer-344 rats

The relative playfulness of inbred Lewis and Fischer-344 rats was characterized. Fischer rats were consistently less playful than Lewis rats, with rats of this strain less likely to initiate playful interactions with either responsive or unresponsive partners and also less likely to respond playfully when playful solicitations were directed to them. While less playful, Fischer rats were more socially inquisitive than Lewis rats when tested with an unresponsive partner, suggesting that Fischer rats are less likely to escalate a social encounter into a playful one. Strain differences in playful responsiveness were present with or without prior social isolation, suggesting that this aspect of play represents a relatively stable trait difference. Unlike play responsiveness, strain differences in play solicitation were only apparent after a period of social isolation. Low levels of play were still present in Fischer rats that had been reared by Lewis dams, suggesting a genetic source for the altered play in rats of this strain. Further studies of play behavior in Lewis and Fischer rats could illuminate relevant neural involvement in rough-and-tumble play and also help understand the genetic bases for this complex social behavior.