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PubMed2006

The mesencephalic trigeminal sensory nucleus is involved in acquisition of active exploratory behavior induced by changing from a diet of exclusively milk formula to food pellets in mice.

Post-weaning mice fed exclusively milk display low-frequency exploratory behavior [Ishii, T., Itou, T., and Nishimura, M. (2005) Life Sci. 78, 174-179] compared to mice fed a food pellet diet. This low-frequency exploratory behavior switched to high-frequency exploration after a switch from exclusively milk formula to a food pellet diet. Acquisition of the high-frequency exploratory behavior was irreversible. Recently, we demonstrated that the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Me5) is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior in mice without modulating the emotional state [Ishii, T., Furuoka, H., Itou, T., Kitamura, N., and Nishimura, M. (2005) Brain Res. 1048, 80-86]. We therefore investigated whether the Me5 is involved in acquisition of high-frequency exploratory behavior induced by the switch in diet from an exclusively milk formula to food pellets. Mouse feeding and exploratory behaviors were analyzed using a food search compulsion apparatus, which was designed to distinguish between the two behaviors under standard living conditions. Immunohistochemical analysis of immediate early genes indicated that the Me5, which receives signals from oral proprioceptors, is transiently activated after the diet change. The change from low-frequency to high-frequency exploratory behavior was prevented in milk-fed mice by bilateral lesion of the Me5. These results suggest that the Me5 is activated by signals associated with mastication-induced proprioception and contributes to the acquisition of active exploratory behavior.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed2001

A behavioral characterization of the effects of food deprivation on food and nonfood object interaction: an investigation of the information-gathering functions of exploratory behavior.

Previous research has shown that exploratory behavior serves not only to procure food, but also as a means of general information gathering. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the function of exploratory behavior in rats by measuring behavior as they interacted with food and nonfood stimuli under different levels of food deprivation. Rats were food-deprived (0, 24, and 48 h), given free access to an open-field arena, and videotaped for a 20-min test session. The rats' behavior was assessed in a manner that isolated locomotor-, object-, and nonobject-related components. Deprivation did not affect locomotor activity levels; however, a decrease in rearing and propping against the test arena was shown. Rats distinguished between the food and nonfood objects because they attempted to ingest the food but not the nonfood object. Deprivation did result in increased contact with food objects; however, nonfood object interactions were maintained throughout the test session. These results suggest that exploratory behavior is separable from food seeking and functions in acquisition of information relating to multiple aspects of the environment.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Internasal and interocular transfers of habituation of exploratory behavior.

Albino rats were individually placed in an unfamiliar arena and their exploratory behavior was recorded for 1 h on two consecutive days. Subjects that were tested with the right (left) nostril occluded and retested with the left (right) nostril occluded explored the arena for the same period of time as subjects that were tested and retested with the right (left) nostril occluded, in both sessions. Subjects without one olfactory bulb that were tested with the contralateral nostril occluded and retested with the ipsilateral nostril occluded explored as subjects without one olfactory bulb that were tested and retested with the ipsilateral nostril occluded, in both sessions. Subjects that were tested with the right (left) eyelids sutured and retested with the left (right) eyelids sutured explored for the same time in the test session as subjects that were tested with the right and the left eyelids sutured and retested with the right or the left eyelids sutured and subjects that were tested and retested with the right (left) eyelids sutured. In the retest session, the first group of subjects explored for less time than the second and for the same time as the third one. A complete internasal transfer of habituation of exploratory behavior probably occurred. There was a complete interocular transfer of habituation of exploratory behavior. This indicates that there is no developed specification of the side of peripheral origin of the visual information in the neural representation of the stimulatory situation responsible for habituation of exploratory behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

[Effects of diazepam on exploratory behavior of pigs (author's transl)].

The exploratory behavior of pigs was studied in two successive daily 20-mn sessions in a two-compartment box by counting the number of crossings from one compartment to the other and observing the activity patterns. Injection of 1 mg/kg diazepam before the first session increased the number of crossings without affecting the temporal decline of activity within the session; treated pigs did not attempt to escape the experimental situation and tended to be more perseverative in their activity patterns than control pigs. Injected before the second session, diazepam did not modify the exploratory behavior. There was no evidence of a state-dissociation effect in experimental groups for which the treatment condition differed from one session to the other. These results are discussed with respect to current theories about the behavioral effects of benzodiazepines.

Animals↗