Abstract

Behavioral continuity and change was studied in 32 (16 male) Wistar rats observed in the hole board and canopy tests, considered to measure exploration and anxiety, respectively. Subjects were tested at 6, 11, 16, 21, 37, and 52 weeks of age. In comparison to 16-week-old rats (the standard age of rats in many experiments), juveniles seemed more anxious and exploratory, whereas mature rats were more anxious and less exploratory. There was substantial behavioral consistency between week 6 and 52, the correlations being especially high between weeks 11 and 52. Principal components analyses revealed one temperamental dimension reflecting harm avoidance in juvenile and mature rats, whereas adult rats were characterized by a further dimension, reflecting novelty seeking.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.