Male Long Evans rats reared with a Fischer-344 peer during the juvenile period show deficits in social competency: a role for play

Abstract

ABSTRACTRats that are deprived of play during the juvenile period develop into adults that have a host of socio-cognitive impairments. Thus, it has been hypothesized that experiencing play fighting during the juvenile period refines executive functions. The present study assesses the social ability of adult, male Long-Evans hooded (LE) rats that have been reared with either a same age and sex LE rat or a Fischer-344 (F344), a low playing strain. As adults, their social skills were assessed. This was done by introducing each rat into a neutral arena with an unfamiliar partner. As predicted, rats from both conditions engaged the stranger in play, but the LE rats that had been reared with a F344 partner were more likely to escalate these playful interactions into aggressive ones. These findings support the hypothesis that play experience during the juvenile period is critical for the development of some executive functions.