Isolation-induced social behavioral deficit test: effect of tranquilizing drugs

Mice were reared in isolation for one week. Then, one isolated and one group-reared mouse were observed together under an inverted beaker for two minutes. The number of escape attempts of the isolated mouse were half of those of the grouped mouse. This is considered as a social behavioral deficit. The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of neuroleptics and various anxiolytic agents on this behavioral deficit. Neither acute administration of chlorpromazine, levomepromazine, sulpiride, flupentixol, pipotiazine, pimozide and haloperidol nor the subchronic (5 days) administration of flupentixol, pipotiazine and pimozide impaired the behavioral deficit. Diazepam and triazolam increased, chlordiazepoxide, hydroxyzine and buspirone did not modify the behavioral deficit. It is concluded that neuroleptics and anxiolytic agents did not impair the isolation-induced social behavioral deficit either because of inadequate doses or duration of administration or because this behavioral state is unresponsive to neuroleptics and anxiolytic agents.