Abstract
Social isolation of rats produces marked deficits in exploratory behaviour in a novel environment. To test our hypothesis that adrenoceptors are modified by social isolation we have measured α 2- and β-adrenoceptor binding in the cerebral cortex of rats isolated for 21 days starting immediately after weaning. After this period the animals showed a significant reduction in exploration in the elevated X-maze and increased avoidance of bright light in a two-compartment shuttlebox. There were no changes in adrenoceptor binding at this time, however. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have