[Behavioral and metabolic features of spontaneously hypertensive rats]

12-week old spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats in comparison with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats had an enhanced behavioural activity associated with exploratory motivation and a lower one associated with the fear motivation, their daily activity and the activity associated with alternating illumination were also higher whereas their defecation was lower. No difference in oxygen metabolism was found at 12 weeks of age. 20-week SHR rats had a higher common oxygen consumption and lower pO2 and blood circulation velocity in the sensomotor area of the brain cortex.