Open-field behavior in dopamine-depleted rat pups and their mothers.
Possible changes in the behavior of rat mothers and their pups were investigated by administering intracisternal injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or its vehicle to 5-day-old rats. Administration of the neurotoxin resulted in a significant depletion of whole-brain dopamine levels to 23% of control levels, whereas norepinephrine levels were reduced to 83% of controls. Open-field behavior revealed that the 6-OHDA-treated rat pups were hypoactive, in terms of decreased square crossings, at 15 days of age, yet were hyperactive at 30 days of age. Toxin-treated pups also showed lower urination scores at 25 and 30 days of age. Mothers' open-field behavior was virtually unaffected by the treatment status of their offspring (i.e., 6-OHDA vs. vehicle-treated), although several of the mothers' behaviors decreased with repeated measures over days.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D016627:Oxidopamine; D004298:Dopamine