Comparative Analysis of Behavior in The Open-field Test in Wild Grey Rats (Rattus norvegicus) and in Grey Rats Subjected to Prolonged Selection for Tame And Aggressive Behavior

• Published in: Zurnal vyss̆ej nervnoj dejatelnosti imeni I P Pavlova Vol. 66; no. 1; p. 92
• Main Authors: Kozhemyakina, R V, Konoshenko, M Yu, Sakharov, D G, Smagin, D A, Markel, A L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Aggression - physiology; Animals; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Fear - physiology; Male; Neurosecretory Systems - physiology; Rats; Selection, Genetic
• ISSN: 0044-4677
• DOI: 10.7868/S0044467716010093

The aim of this work is analysis of the open-field behavior in grey rats selected for the tame and aggressive behavior in comparison with the wild grey rats. Significant influences of the rat group factor on the 13 of 19 behavioral features studied in the open-field were found. This effect, in general, depends on existence of great differences between behaviors of the wild rats from the one hand and behaviors of the tame and aggressive rats from the other. The behaviors of the rats from the last two groups are practically identical. Multidimensional analysis confirms the distinct separation in coordinates of the two main components of the wild rat behavior from the behavior of both the tame and selectively bred aggressive rats. The first main component dimension corresponds to the grade of fear, which was significantly enhanced in the wild rats. So, in spite of the equality of behavioral aggressiveness of the wild rats and the rats selected for aggression with the glove test, the behavior of selected aggressive rats in the open-field is analogous to behavior of the rats selected for tameness. Comparison of behavioral features with the hormonal stress responsiveness allowed us to conclude that the aggressive behavior of the wild and se lected for aggression rats based on different motivational and neuroendocrine processes.