title: The social behavior of male rats administered an adult-onset calorie restriction regimen.
abstract: The behavioral outcomes of a calorie restricted diet are often neglected in favour of a more physiological examination of the consequences of calorie restriction (CR). This is especially the case with social behavior. A few findings within the maternal CR literature suggest that adult male social behavior is altered by this regimen. Despite the paucity of findings within the maternal CR literature, a systematic investigation of the behavioral phenotype of males administered an adult-onset CR is completely lacking and was the focus of the current study. Adult male hooded Wistar rats were administered a three week CR, with one group receiving a 25% CR and another group receiving a 50% CR before male-to-male social behavior was examined and compared with ad libitium fed males. Various behavioral elements were modulated by CR, both the CR25% and 50% group initiated contact sooner and engaged in greater social activity compared to the ad libitum fed controls. The CR25% group also demonstrated less non-social (self-grooming) behavior and a greater frequency of walkovers compared to all groups, indicating a propensity towards dominance. The CR50% group demonstrated greater environmental assessment/exploration, as measured by the frequency of rearing. As with the maternal CR literature, an adult-onset chronic CR induces a more socially active behavioral phenotype and reduces interest in non-social behavior in the moderately CR group. Taken together, the social behavioral phenotype can be modulated by a CR initiated and maintained during adulthood.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Antonina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Govic
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Levay
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: Antonio G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Paolini
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D031204:Caloric Restriction / Q000523:psychology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006120:Grooming / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012919:Social Behavior; D012930:Social Dominance