title: Disparities in activity levels and learning ability between Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) and Roborovskii hamster (Phodopus roborovskii).
abstract: The Djungarian hamster and the Roborovskii hamster belong to the same genus of Phodopus. However, the Djungarian hamster is tame and shows sedative behavior, while Roborovskii hamster is not tame and shows high levels of locomotor activity. Hyperactivity occurs in animals with tameless behavior. Tameness or tamelessness behavior is very important because tameness helps for breeding and controlling as well as it enables a strong human-animal bond. In the present study, we examined the relationships between activity levels and cognitive function in Djungarian and Roborovskii hamsters. Three types of behavioral tests were performed to analyze their activity levels, memory and leaning ability. The levels of L- and D-amino acids and monoamines in the brain were then determined. Roborovskii hamsters showed significantly higher locomotor activity than Djungarian hamsters. Memory ability was not significantly different between the two hamsters, but Roborovskii hamsters showed lower learning ability. Brain levels of D-serine which is related to enhancement in memory and learning ability, were significantly higher in Djungarian hamsters, but the reverse was true for brain dopamine and serotonin levels. These results suggest that these differences in brain metabolism may be related to the behavioral differences between the two hamsters.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Mao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minaminaka
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryosei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goda
authors.affiliation: Division for Experimental Natural Science, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Vishwajit S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furuse
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003071:Cognition; D006224:Cricetinae; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D017111:Phodopus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D012701:Serotonin; D012694:Serine; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: activity level; amino acid; hamster; memory learning; monoamine