Infantile (handling) stimulation and behavior in young Roman high- and low-avoidance rats.
The effect of infantile handling stimulation on exploratory and emotional behavior of Roman high- and low-avoidance (RHA/Verh and RLA/Verh) weanling rats was investigated. Postnatally handled and nonhandled, 4-week-old males and females from both psychogenetically selected lines were exposed to a hexagonal tunnel maze, including an illuminated central arena. Postnatal handling increased exploratory behavior and decreased emotional reactivity as expressed by increased entries into the central arena and a reduction in defecations in both lines of rats. These effects were more pronounced in the RLA/Verh rats. In agreement with earlier studies using nonselected adult rats, the females of both lines (especially those from the RHA/Verh line) were more sensitive than males to the positive influences of early stimulation.
Fernández-Teruel
A
A
Department of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.
Escorihuela
R M
RM
Driscoll
P
P
Tobeña
A
A
Bättig
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013045:Species Specificity