Postnatal handling reduces novelty-induced fear and increases [3H]flunitrazepam binding in rat brain.
Postnatal handling of rat pups alters their response to novelty. We have now shown that, as adults, rats handled for the first three weeks of life showed a suppression of feeding in a novel environment that was less, and a [3H]flunitrazepam binding in whole brain that was greater than in non-handled animals. These data suggest that variations in benzodiazepam binding capacity could be related to individual differences in the fear response to novelty.
Bodnoff
S R
SR
Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Suranyi-Cadotte
B
B
Quirion
R
R
Meaney
M J
MJ
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000378:metabolism*; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism
D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005445:Flunitrazepam