Corticoadrenal and behavioral response to open field in pairs of male rats either familiar or non-familiar to each other.
The effect of the presence either of a familiar or non-familiar conspecific animal on serum corticosterone and some behavioral responses in the open field was studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals tested in presence of a familiar animal showed a higher corticosterone response and a higher defecation rate. It suggests that rats experienced more emotional reactivity in presence of a familiar animal than in presence of a non-familiar one. Time spent in social interaction was higher in non-familiar pairs; however, ambulation and rearing were lower, suggesting competition between social investigation and novel environment exploration.
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D003345:Corticosterone