Effects of single and repeated restraint on the social behavior of male rats

The effects of a mild, nonpainful stressor (restraint, RT) on the social behavior of male rats were explored. Twenty-four hours after single or repeated RT, experimental subjects were confronted in a neutral cage with unfamiliar and naive opponents of the same sex and strain, matched for age and bod...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysiology & behavior Vol. 53; no. 5; pp. 937 - 942
Main Authors Albonetti, Maria Emanuela, Farabollini, Francesca
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge Elsevier Inc 01.05.1993
New York, NY Elsevier
Subjects
Animal ethology
Animals
Arousal
Attention
Biological and medical sciences
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Grooming
Long-term effects
Male
Mammalia
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Restraint, Physical - psychology
Sexual behavior
Sexual Behavior, Animal
Single/repeated restraint
Social Behavior
Social Environment
Stress, Psychological - complications
Vertebrata
Social behavior
Single/repeated restraint
Sexual behavior
Long-term effects
Vertebrata
Restraint stress
Mammalia
Behavioral analysis
Rodentia
Rattus norvegicus
Male
Long term
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:The effects of a mild, nonpainful stressor (restraint, RT) on the social behavior of male rats were explored. Twenty-four hours after single or repeated RT, experimental subjects were confronted in a neutral cage with unfamiliar and naive opponents of the same sex and strain, matched for age and body weight. Introductory, affiliative, defensive, and offensive behaviors of the experimental animals were recorded for 20 min. Single RT caused a selective and dramatic inhibition of aggressive behavior, with no effects on defense. Allo-grooming, considered to be an appeasing and affiliative behavior, increased. Repeated RT caused basically the same effects, with an additional increase in retreat, a low-intensity defensive behavior, and attend, possibly aimed at monitoring the unfamiliar partner. Habituation to repeated stress, therefore, did not occur, and the behavioral consequences of repeated RT were even greater than those of single stress. Additional tests of sexual behavior failed to reveal any deficit in sexual performance after single or repeated RT.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 23
ObjectType-Article-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:0031-9384
1873-507X
DOI:10.1016/0031-9384(93)90272-H