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Differential open field reactivity in HAS and LAS rats
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00936, USA.
Physiology & Behavior
|February 1, 1995
Summary
Low alcohol-sensitive (LAS) rats displayed greater emotional reactivity than high alcohol-sensitive (HAS) rats in open field tests. LAS rats showed increased ambulation and rearing, unlike HAS rats, indicating distinct behavioral responses to novel environments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Animal Models
Background:
- Emotional reactivity is a key factor in alcohol sensitivity.
- Understanding behavioral differences in alcohol-sensitive rat lines is crucial for addiction research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate emotional reactivity differences between high alcohol-sensitive (HAS) and low alcohol-sensitive (LAS) rats.
- To analyze open field test behaviors as indicators of emotional reactivity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 19th-generation HAS and LAS rats, naive to ethanol.
- Conducted three daily 20-minute open field exposures (1 sq m).
- Recorded and analyzed five concurrent behaviors using repeated-measures ANOVA and Keuls tests.
Main Results:
- LAS rats showed longer latencies to ambulate, increased ambulation, and rearing that did not habituate.
- LAS rats exhibited an increasing intersession bolus count.
- Correlations between ambulation, bolus count, rearing, and center square entries differed significantly between HAS and LAS rats across test days.
Conclusions:
- Results support the hypothesis of greater emotional reactivity in LAS rats compared to HAS rats.
- Demonstrates the necessity of employing multiple behavioral measures and sessions for comprehensive open field evaluations.
- Highlights distinct behavioral profiles of alcohol-sensitive rat lines relevant to emotional processing and novelty response.