title: 8-OH-DPAT inhibits both prandial and waterspray-induced grooming.
abstract: The effects of 8-OH-DPAT treatment on rat grooming behaviour, elicited either prandially or in response to spraying with water were investigated. Dose (< or =0.1 mg/kg s.c.) response studies employed momentary time sampling over 30 or 60 min with behaviour being scored in one of 6 or 7 (depending on food availability) mutually exclusive categories (feeding, active, scratching, face-grooming, body grooming, genital-grooming and resting) at 15 s intervals. In non-deprived rats, tested with wet mash available, feeding and activity frequencies were increased, but resting and total grooming were inhibited by 8-OH-DPAT. Face-, body- and genital-grooming occurred at higher levels than scratching, but all categories were reduced with reductions in scratching occurring at a lower dose (0.01 mg/kg). Misting rats with a fine water spray selectively increased body grooming and decreased activity without altering feeding, while 8-OH-DPAT increased feeding and reduced face-, body- and genital-grooming, without affecting already low levels of scratching. In misted rats, tested without food, 8-OH-DPAT reduced face-, body- and genital-grooming and increased resting. These results confirm i) that the water spray technique is a useful method for increasing grooming and ii) that 8-OH-DPAT has a suppressant effect on grooming independent of response competition from enhanced feeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, London Metropolitan University, Old Castle Street, London, UK.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.forename: A M J
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Montgomery
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D006120:Grooming / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012528:Satiety Response / Q000187:drug effects; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin