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Isolation-induced locomotor hyperactivity and hypoalgesia in rats are prevented by handling and reversed by
C Gentsch1, M Lichtsteiner, H R Frischknecht
1Psychiatric University Clinic Basle, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Differences in locomotor activity in the open field were found between individually and group-housed rats (isol greater than soc). Daily handling, initiated at postnatal day 1, was without effect in group-housed rats but prevented the isolation-induced hyperactivity. For tail-flick latency, strikingly similar differences (isol greater than soc; prevention by handling) have been observed. The isolation-induced aberrations in both locomotor reactivity in a novel environment and in pain sensitivity could be reversed by subsequent resocialization. This indicates that the altered sensitivities to external stimuli are caused by the environmental manipulation.