[Effects of diazepam on exploratory behavior of pigs (author's transl)]

The exploratory behavior of pigs was studied in two successive daily 20-mn sessions in a two-compartment box by counting the number of crossings from one compartment to the other and observing the activity patterns. Injection of 1 mg/kg diazepam before the first session increased the number of crossings without affecting the temporal decline of activity within the session; treated pigs did not attempt to escape the experimental situation and tended to be more perseverative in their activity patterns than control pigs. Injected before the second session, diazepam did not modify the exploratory behavior. There was no evidence of a state-dissociation effect in experimental groups for which the treatment condition differed from one session to the other. These results are discussed with respect to current theories about the behavioral effects of benzodiazepines.