title: Behavioral and neurochemical differences between Fischer 344 and Harlan-Wistar rats raised identically.
abstract: Inbred Fisher 344 and outbred Harlan-Wistar rats were compared in the elevated plus maze, the black-and-white box, the social interaction test, and a modified open-field test, to assess the contribution of genetic factors to aversion-motivated behavior. All animals used were born and raised under identical conditions. Compared to the Wistar rats, the Fischer rats displayed a more pronounced fearful behavior in all tests. In a separate microdialysis study, the relationship between behavioral variations to biochemical differences was assessed, with serotonin (5-HT) release in the ventral hippocampus being measured during the elevated plus-maze test. Exposure to the elevated plus-maze induced an increase in hippocampal 5-HT in the (more anxious) Fischer rats but not in the (less anxious) Wistar rats. The results confirm the influence of genetic factors on emotionality in rats and demonstrate a close, although not simple, relationship between the serotonergic system and "anxiety-related" behavior.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Charité, Medical Faculty, Humboldt University at Berlin, Germany. andre.rex@charite.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rex
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000235:genetics*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D009042:Motivation; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344 / Q000235:genetics*; D017208:Rats, Wistar / Q000235:genetics*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics*; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin