Telemetered heart rate responses of the rat during free and learned behavior

To assess the effect of recording on the heart rate and on the behavior of the free moving rat, the electrocardiogram was recorded with the aid of radiotelemetry or through wire leads attached to the animal in different behavioral situations. Adaptation of heart rate both within and across sessions in the home cage and in a novel environment (open-field) was observed in rats bearing a transmitter. No adaptation occurred in rats attached to wire leads. The pattern of heart rate changes appeared to be independent of the mode of recording during passive avoidance behavior and when the rats displayed various motor activities like walking, sniffing, rearing or grooming in the open-field. The heart rate of rats attached to wire leads, however, was always higher. These data indicate that radiotelemetry is preferable to the use of wire connections for recording cardiac activity during behavioral studies in the rat.