[Possibility of detecting visual functional disturbance in rats by the open-field test].
In order to determine whether visual disturbance in small rodents is detectable by means of the open-field test, the ambulation scores of enucleated and intact rats in an open-field were measured. In a 30-min test of Slc:Wistar/ST rats, there were significant differences in ambulation scores between enucleated and intact rats in the first 10-min. In addition, the effects of observation times (09:00-11:00, 13:00-15:00 and 17:00-19:00 hr) and strains on the open-field test were studied using a 10-min test. Regardless of observation times, ambulation scores of enucleated rats of the Slc:Wistar/ST and F344/N Slc strains were significantly elevated as compared with those of intact rats from both strains. When tested during the 13:00-15:00 hr period, there were significant differences in the Slc:SD rats. These findings indicate that the changes in ambulation are due to visual disturbance. However, significant ambulatory changes in F344/N Slc rats were documented at the three different observation times. Based on these results, Slc:Wistar/ST rats appear to be suitable for detecting visual disturbance by the open-field test.
Kiyosawa
I
I
Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Nagano, Japan.
Aoki
M
M
Imamura
T
T
Naito
J
J
Saito
T R
TR
Takahashi
K W
KW
D000818:Animals; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013995:Time; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods*