Publikationsdatenbank

Anxiolytic-like profile in Wistar, but not in Sprague-Dawley rats in the social interaction test (2004)

Art

Poster

Autoren

Rex, A.

Voigt, J. P.

Gustedt, C.

Fink, H.

Kongress

Berlin Neuroscience Forum

Liebenwalde, 22. – 24.04.2004

Quelle

Berlin Neuroscience Forum

Berlin, 2004 — S. 128

Sprache

Englisch

Kontakt

Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie

Koserstr. 20
14195 Berlin
+49 30 838 53221
pharmakologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

128 ANXIOLYTIC-LIKE PROFILE IN WISTAR, BUT NOT SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS IN THE SOCIAL INTERACTION TEST
A. Rex, J-P. Voigt, C. Gustedt, H. Fink

Rationale: The social interaction test is a valuable behavioural model for testing anxiolytic drugs in rodents, quantifying the level of social behaviour between pairs of rats. Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the appropriateness of the social interaction test for use with a Sprague Dawley rat line - because of increasing use of this strain in targeted mutagenesis research. Methods: Sprague Dawley and Wistar rats received either diazepam or mCPP or were exposed to different environmental conditions (lighting, social isolation prior testing, habituation, testing-time). General anxiety-related parameters measured were: duration of active social contact, frequency of active social contact, latency to first contact. Different forms of active social contact _ were recorded: number of crawls, follows and sniffs. Results: In Wistar rats habituation to the test substantially increased the time of social contact, an effect comparable to treatment with diazepam (1 mg/kg), whereas changes in the Iighting level had less impact. Latency to the first contact increased under 'anxiety-reducing' conditions, the frequency of contacts did not change consistently. Sprague Dawley rats behaviour did not change under varying environmental conditions, treatment with diazepam had only sedating effects at higher doses (5 mg/kg). Anxiogenic doses of mCPP caused reduced social interaction in both strains. Conclusions: Different rat strains as well as differing test conditions have a major impact on the outcome of this animal test for anxiety.