Vibrissae removal and the phenomenon of unexplained sudden death.
Two earlier theories on the effect of vibrissae removal in rats were tested. One theory stating that vibrissae removal produces impairment of spatial orientation capacity was confirmed. The other stating that it causes a depressive state of hopelessness and sudden death could not be confirmed. It is concluded that the extrapolation from the particular animal experiment to human psychological processes is not justified.
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D051381:Rats / Q000502:physiology*; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D014110:Touch