Monosodium glutamate-induced changes of aggression and open-field activity in rats.
Twenty Sprague-Dawley rat pups received injections of 2 mg/g, 4 mg/g monosodium glutamate (MSG) or physiological saline (mean volume) subcutaneous daily for the first 10 days of life. At 70 and 90 days, rats were tested for open-field and aggressive responding, respectively. Body weights were recorded throughout development. When compared to the control group, results indicated: (1) significantly lowered body weights for both MSG-injected groups with the 4 mg/g group showing the greatest weight suppression, (2) a significant decrease in open-field activity for the 2 mg/g MSG group, with the 4 mg/g MSG group not quite reaching a statistically significant decreases, (3) significant decreases in aggressive responding of both MSG groups. The decrease in open-field activity supports the type of MSG-induced behavioral suppression previously reported for rodents, while an MSG-induced decrease in aggression has not been previously documented.
D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D012970:Sodium Glutamate / Q000009:adverse effects*
D005971:Glutamates; D012970:Sodium Glutamate