Isolation rearing induced fear-like behavior without affecting learning abilities of Wistar rats.
1. Isolation-reared rats display fear-like behavior and depressive-like behavior in several behavioral tasks, suggesting that isolation rearing may model certain aspects of human psychopathologies. 2. After weaning (20 days old), male and female Wistar rats were isolation-reared during 20, 50 or 70 days. After that, they were tested in the elevated plus maze test, and in the open field test. Another group of isolation-reared rats (70 days of isolation) were tested in an auto-shaping task. 3. Isolation-reared rats displayed high levels of fear-like behavior in the elevated plus-maze test, and hyperlocomotion in the open field test. But, isolation-reared rats learned an auto-shaping task. 4. In conclusion, isolation rearing induced fear-like behavior, without affect learning abilities of rats.
Molina-Hernandez
M
M
Laboratorio de Conducta, Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico. mimoli@bugs.invest.uv.mx
Tellez-Alcantara
P
P
Perez-Garcia
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012934:Social Isolation