Behavioral lateralization in rats: prenatal stress effects on sex differences.
The possible relationship between human and animal asymmetries is currently a controversial point. In the present study we report that, after practice, rat behavioral asymmetry presents important similarities with human laterality. Thus, rat behavior presents: (1) absolute and population laterality to the same degree and with the same right-bias as that reported for humans; (2) the female has less absolute laterality but similar population laterality to the male; (3) male-female differences for behavioral laterality are modified by prenatal stress as occurs with similar other hormone-regulated behavior.
Alonso
J
J
Department of Physiology, Medical School, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
Castellano
M A
MA
Rodriguez
M
M
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013315:Stress, Psychological