title: Avoidance behaviour and anxiety in rats irradiated with a sublethal dose of gamma-rays.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess, whether a sublethal dose of gamma-rays will influence the avoidance behaviour and anxiety in rats and whether the response to radiation depends on time of day of its application. Adult male Wistar rats were tested in elevated plus-maze, in hot plate test and in the light/dark box in 4 regular intervals during a day. After two weeks the animals were irradiated with a whole-body dose 6 Gy of gamma-rays. One day after irradiation the animals were repeatedly tested in the same way, as before irradiation. In the plus-maze test an increased level of anxiety was established. The irradiation significantly decreased the locomotor activity of rats, but the extent of exploratory and comfortable behaviour were not altered. After irradiation, an elevated aversion to the thermal stimulus was observed in the hot plate test. The effects of radiation were more pronounced in the light period of the day, than in the dark one. No significant differences in aversion to light were detected after irradiation. The obtained results indicate, that sublethal doses of ionizing radiation can markedly influence the reactivity of animals to adverse stimuli, their motoric activity and emotional status, as well.
authors: Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, P. J. Šafárik University, Moyzesova 11, 04001 Košice, Slovak Republic.
authors: Lenka
authors: L
authors: Tomášová
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Smajda
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bona
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors