The effects of age, sex, and handling on behavioral parameters in the multivariate concentric square field™ test

• Published in: Physiology & behavior Vol. 229; p. 113243
• Main Authors: Gore-Langton, Jonathan Kent, Werner, David Francis, Spear, Linda Patia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-02-2021
• Subjects: Adolescents; Adults; Alcohol Drinking; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Exploratory Behavior; Handling; Multivariate concentric square field; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Risk-Taking; Shelter-seeking; Adults; Shelter-seeking; Multivariate concentric square field; Adolescents; Risk-taking; Handling
• ISSN: 0031-9384; 1873-507X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113243

•Handling increases risk taking and reduces shelter seeking.•Females are more exploratory than males.•No age differences in risk taking or risk assessment.•Behavioral components assayed by the MCSF differ between adolescents and adults.•Center circle and bridge variables do not reflect the same dimension of risk taking.
The multivariate concentric square field™ (MCSF) is a complex and ethologically relevant apparatus that is designed to measure several behavioral parameters within the same test session including risk-taking, risk-assessment, shelter-seeking (anxiety relieving), exploration, and general activity. While several studies have behaviorally and pharmacologically validated the use of the MCSF in adults, far fewer have used adolescents. Given the well-established link between adolescence and risk-taking, it is important to validate use of the MCSF in adolescence. The present study compared the effects of age, sex, and handling on behavioral categories in the MCSF. In addition, principal component analyses were used to compare the underlying behavioral components in adolescent and adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Results revealed that handling increased risk-taking and reduced shelter-seeking. Females were more exploratory than males, but no compelling age differences in risk-taking or risk-assessment were found. Principal component analyses revealed six major principal components for both adolescents and adults with the first and second components consisting mainly of center/center circle, risk-assessment, and shelter-seeking variables in adolescence, and general activity and center/center circle variables in adults. These results confirm age differences in the underlying behavioral components in the MCSF.