Strain difference in behavioral response to a new environment in rats.
Locomotor activity in rats throughout a 24-hour period in a new environment was examined for strain differences and for the capacity for adaptation to that environment. Fischer 344 rats (F344), spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar normotensive Kyoto rats (WKY) were used. The horizontal locomotor activity of individual rats was measured by photocell-utilizing activity-recording devices. The locomotor activity counts on the second day, after 1 day of adaptation, were compared with those after 5 days of adaptation (on the sixth day). In WKY, there was no difference in activity at any period of the day between the second and sixth days. In SHR, the locomotor activity on the second day between 6:00 h and 9:00 h (in the light phase) and between 24:00 h and 3:00 h (in the dark phase) was higher than on the sixth day. In F344, the locomotor activity on the second day between 18:00 h and 2:00 h was higher than on the sixth day. The capacity for adaptation in SHR and F344 was thus poorer than in WKY. The poor adaptation in SHR and F344 was similar to that in depressive patients induced by moving house. These findings suggested that SHR or F344 were suitable for depression research.
Nakagawara
M
M
Yokosaka Kyasai Hospital, Japan.
Kubota
M
M
Atobe
M
M
Kariya
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344 / Q000523:psychology; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR / Q000523:psychology; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000523:psychology*; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY / Q000523:psychology; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000502:physiology
D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase