Regional differences in rat benzodiazepine binding in response to novelty and cat odour

Laboratory rats exhibit innate behavioural and corticosterone responses when exposed to cat odour. However, not all are responsive and differences in benzodiazepine receptor binding between responders and non-responders were explored. Rats were exposed to cat odour for 5 min and based on time spent sheltering were divided into responders (n = 21; mean +/- SEM = 244 +/- 8.2 sec) or non-responders (n = 20; 43.9 +/- 4.8 sec). Four days later, both groups were randomly allocated among 3 experimental conditions: home-cage, neutral or cat odour, and killed 30 min after exposure. [3H]flunitrazepam binding was performed at two ligand concentrations (2 and 10 nM); where significant differences in single point binding were found, Scatchard analysis was performed on pooled samples. In hippocampus and frontal cortex responders had significantly lower binding than non-responders. In hippocampus this was most apparent when the rats were exposed to the novel test situation, i.e. neutral odour and was due to a reduction in affinity (Kd = 0.4 and 1.2 nM non-responders and responders). In frontal cortex, differences were significant only following exposure to cat odour (Bmax = 2663 and 1501 fmol/mg protein in non-responders and responders). The changes in amygdala were not significant.