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PubMed1989

CRF and restraint-stress decrease exploratory behavior in hypophysectomized mice.

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and restraint-stress both decrease exploratory behavior in rats and mice. The involvement of pituitary-adrenal hormones in eliciting these behavioral effects was examined using hypophysectomized mice. Forty minutes of restraint decreased exploratory behavior in hypophysectomized mice just as it did in intact animals. Similarly, CRF (50 ng) injected into the lateral cerebral ventricles of hypophysectomized mice decreased exploratory behavior. Therefore, the restraint- and CRF-induced decreases of exploratory behavior are apparently independent of the activation of ACTH secretion from the pituitary. It seems likely that CRF acts intracerebrally to elicit this effect of restraint, especially because a CRF antagonist can reverse the effects of restraint.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Perinatal diazepam exposure: alterations in exploratory behavior and mesolimbic dopamine turnover.

Perinatal exposure to diazepam has been shown to lead to alterations in motor activity and exploratory behavior in neonatal animals. Exploratory and locomotor behavior have been associated with changes in mesotelencephalic dopamine function. We have therefore examined the effects of perinatal diazepam administration on both exploratory behavior and mesotelencephalic dopamine turnover in the adult rat. Animals exposed to the benzodiazepine during the perinatal period engaged in significantly less exploratory behavior than did control subjects. The diazepam-induced alterations in behavior were developmentally specific: decreased exploratory behavior was observed at 90, but not 60, days of age. At 90 days of age, specific changes in dopamine turnover in diazepam-treated animals were restricted to mesolimbic (nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area) sites; alterations in dopamine turnover were not seen in other mesotelencephalic sites examined. The findings indicate that perinatal exposure to benzodiazepines leads to behavioral changes that are present in adulthood. These changes in exploratory behavior may be associated with alterations in mesolimbic dopamine function.

Aging↗
PubMed2003

Genetic contributions to body weight in mice: relationship of exploratory behavior to weight.

OBJECTIVE: The A/J and C57BL/6J mouse strains differ markedly in their exploratory behavior and their weight gain on a high-fat diet. We examined the genetic contributions of exploratory behavior to body weight and tested for shared, pleiotropic loci influencing energy homeostasis. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Segregating (AxB6)F2 intercross (n = 514) and (B6AF1xA/J)N2 backcross (N = 223) populations were studied, phenotyping for weight and exploratory behaviors. Relationships among traits were analyzed by correlations. Weight traits were dissected with a genome-wide scan. RESULTS: Modest correlations were found between exploratory behaviors and weight, explaining 2% to 14% of the variance. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for body weight at 8 weeks (wgt8), 10 weeks (wgt10), and 2-week weight gain (difference between weeks 8 and 10) on a 6% fat diet were mapped. Two QTL on chromosome 1 (peaks at 66 cM and 100 cM; Bw8q1) affected wgt8 [likelihood of the odds ratio (Lod), 3.0 and 4.4] and wgt10 (Lod, 2.2 and 3.4), respectively. In the backcross, a significant QTL on chromosome 4 (peak at 66 cM; Bw8q2) affected wgt 8 (Lod, 3.3) and wgt10 (Lod, 3.1). For 2-week weight gain, suggestive QTL were mapped on chromosomes 4 and 6. The chromosome 6 QTL region overlaps a human 7q locus for obesity. A search for between-strain sequence polymorphisms in the leptin and NPY genes was unrevealing. DISCUSSION: In mice, loci influencing exploratory activity play a modest role in body-weight regulation. Some forms of obesity may emerge from loci regulating normal body weight.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

The mesencephalic trigeminal sensory nucleus is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior in mice.

The mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Me5), which receives input from oral proprioceptors and projects to higher brain regions, is involved in mastication-induced modulation of satiation. To investigate how the Me5 is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior, we examined the effect of bilateral electrolytic lesions of the Me5 on feeding and exploratory behavior in mice. Mouse feeding and exploratory behaviors were analyzed using a food-search-compulsion-apparatus (FSCA), which was designed to distinguish between the two behaviors under standard living conditions. To assess anxiety in mice in an unfamiliar environment, exploratory activity was analyzed in an automated hole-board apparatus. Mice with bilateral Me5 lesions had unique feeding and exploratory behavior profiles in the FSCA compared with sham-operated mice. Me5-lesioned mice spent more time in the food chamber during each trial in the FSCA, but the number of entries into the food chamber was decreased by 40% compared to sham-operated mice. Moreover, Me5 lesions markedly inhibited exploratory behavior, manifested as low-frequency exploration. In spite of the low-frequency exploration in the FSCA, Me5 lesions had no effect on various exploratory activities analyzed in the hole-board apparatus, i.e., total locomotor activity, frequency and duration of rearing and head-dipping, and latency to the first head-dipping. These results suggest that the Me5 is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior through its ascending neuronal pathways in mice without modulating the emotional state.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1997

Characterization of rat exploratory behavior using the exploration box test.

A method to measure various aspects of exploratory behavior was further characterized using standard pharmacological treatments known to induce anxiety, or anxiolysis, or locomotor activation. FG 7142, an anxiogenic beta-carboline, induced a dose-dependent reduction in the rat exploratory behavior. A single FG 7142 (20 mg/kg) treatment before behavioral testing had a carry-over effect on rats' behavioral performance on the two subsequent days. When FG 7142 (20 mg/kg) was administered during five consecutive days before behavioral testing, its anxiogenic-like effect first deepened, but waned off by the fifth session. Diazepam at the dose of 0.5 mg/kg had no effect of its own, but blocked the anxiogenic-like effect of FG 7142 (10 mg/kg) treatment. At a higher dose (1 mg/kg), diazepam treatment reduced exploratory behavior, but this effect was not carried over to the drug-free sessions on the subsequent day. Buspirone and gepirone (both 1 mg/kg), the 5-HT1A receptor agonists, had no effect. D-Amphetamine, a locomotion-enhancing drug which has anxiogenic-like properties in several tests of exploratory behavior, increased the activity of rats at the dose of 0.5 mg/kg, but at the dose of 1 mg/kg the only effect was a reduction in the number of rearings: this effect was not carried over to the subsequent retest. On the basis of the results described in this article and elsewhere, we suggest that this technique can be useful for separating a true anxiogenic drug from other compounds which influence exploratory activity.

Amphetamine↗
PubMed1997

GABAergic drugs and sexual motivation, receptivity and exploratory behaviors in the female rat.

Female rats were allowed to pace sexual interactions in a bilevel chamber, where a sexually vigorous male was tethered to the bottom level. Exploratory behaviors (sniffing, rearing), locomotor activity (expressed as number of level changes and periods of inactivity) as well as items of sexual motivation (latency to descend to the male's level, approaches towards the male and genital exploration) were recorded. In addition, sexual receptivity was evaluated in a non-paced situation. A test for motor impairment was also performed. The GABA transaminase inhibitor gamma-acetylene GABA reduced exploratory behaviors at doses much lower than those needed to reduce receptivity. The GABA reuptake inhibitor SKF 100330A did not affect any behavior category at doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg, but had a sedative action at 60 mg/kg. This was shown as impaired motor coordination and an almost total absence of activity in the bilevel chamber. Receptivity was not impaired, however. The mixed GABAA/ GABAB agonist progabide reduced exploratory behaviors and receptivity without producing motor impairment at a dose of 400 mg/kg. The GABAA agonist THIP impaired motor coordination and reduced receptivity and exploratory behaviors at a dose of 10 mg/kg. A larger dose, 20 mg/kg, had a strong sedative action. Only a small proportion of the animals descended to the males level. The GABAB agonist baclofen reduced receptivity at a dose that had no effect on motor coordination or exploratory behaviors. None of the drugs had a specific effect on sexual motivation. Whenever behaviors reflecting motivation were reduced, there were also other behavioral effects indicative of sedation. These data show that GABA receptor agonists, particularly the GABAB agonist baclofen, reduce sexual receptivity at doses that have only slight effect on motor functions or exploratory behaviors. In contrast, non-specific enhancement of GABAergic activity by a transaminase or reuptake inhibitor have effects on motor functions and exploratory behaviors at doses much lower than those needed to reduce receptivity.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Rats and mice share common ethologically relevant parameters of exploratory behavior.

Detailed studies of rat exploratory behavior reveal that it consists of typical behavior patterns having a distinct structure. Recently we have developed interactive software that uses as input the automatically digitized time-series of the animal's location for the visualization, analysis, capturing and quantification of these patterns. We use this software here for the study of BALB/cJtau mouse behavior. The results suggest that a considerable number of rat patterns are also present in the mouse. These ethologically-relevant patterns have a significant potential as a phenotyping tool.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2002

Modulation of orientation and exploratory behavior in mice during development of humoral immune response.

We demonstrated opposite changes in the orientation and exploratory behavior of (CBAxC57Bl/6)F(1) mice in the open field test during the formation of primary humoral immune response. These changes depended on initial behavioral activity: the exploratory behavior was suppressed in animals with initially high activity, stimulated in animals with medium reaction, and remained unchanged in mice with initially low activity. The detected changes in the exploratory behavior during the formation of immune response were leveled in the total population (not divided by initial behavioral status).

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Interactions of angiotensin II with piracetam in exploratory behavior and convulsive-seizure threshold.

The interactions between angiotensin II (AT II) and piracetam in exploratory behavior of rats in open field and in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) convulsive-seizure threshold in mice were studied. AT II at a dose of 0.5 microgram injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) increased exploratory behavior. Piracetam at a dose of 600 mg.kg-1 administered orally twice daily for 7 days increased the frequency of the exploratory behavior components. AT II decreased this effect of piracetam. AT II (0.5 microgram i.c.v.) tended to increase the PTZ convulsive-seizure threshold. On single administration piracetam had no effect on the convulsive-seizure threshold but on multiple administration it increased the threshold. The two drugs applied together increased the PTZ convulsive-seizure threshold to a larger extent as compared to the effect they exerted when administered alone. The changes in exploratory behavior and in convulsive-seizure threshold, increased by the combination of AT II and piracetam, are explained by the interactions between the two drugs at the level of AT II and GABA binding sites in brain.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1982

Effect of Tween 80 on exploratory behavior and locomotor activity in rats.

Exploratory behavior and locomotor activity is enhanced in male rat pups (aged 10 to 20 days) whose dams received a chronic dose (1.25 ml/l) of Tween 80 via their drinking water. This enhancement manifests itself during the diurnal period of the day. These data suggest that Tween 80 has an effect on the CNS which could lead to misinterpretation of results in toxicology studies that use this compound as a dosage vehicle.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2005

What do rats learn about the geometry of object arrays? Tests with exploratory behavior.

Six experiments using habituation of exploratory behavior tested whether disoriented rats foraging in a large arena encode the shapes of arrays of objects. Rats did not respond to changes in position of a single object, but they responded to a change in object color and to a change in position of 1 object in a square array, as in previous research (e.g., C. Thinus-Blanc et al., 1987). Rats also responded to an expansion of a square array, suggesting that they encoded sets of interobject distances rather than overall shape. In Experiments 4-6, rats did not respond to changes in sense of a triangular array that maintained interobject distances and angles. Shapes of object arrays are encoded differently from shapes of enclosures.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Changes in the pattern of exploratory behavior are associated with the emergence of social dominance relationships in male rats.

This study examined the effect of the establishment of dominance relationships and subordination on exploratory behavior for both postpubertal and adult male rats. Prior to an open field test, subjects were housed either in isolation (IS) or in littermate pairs (PS) with mild dominance relationships without overt victory or defeat, or in pairs with clear hierarchical relationships as dominants (DOM) or subordinates (SUB). Stretch-attend postures and entries into the center area of the open-field were measured as an index of passive and active exploratory behavior, respectively, and crossings in the peripheral area were counted as activity. SUB rats, both postpubertal and adult, displayed less activity and lower levels of active exploratory behavior, whereas adult IS rats showed higher levels of active exploratory behavior compared to the other groups. Furthermore, both DOM and PS rats exhibited a more passive pattern of exploratory behavior in adulthood than in postpuberty. Thus the results show that an increase in the active exploratory pattern is inhibited by the establishment of social relationships among adult rats, while a decrease in activity is a primarily effect of subordination. The capacity to change exploratory patterns following subordination is found even in the postpubertal stage when adultlike social relationships have not yet appeared.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

Five-month-old girls' and boys' exploratory behaviors in the presence of familiar and unfamiliar toys.

The exploratory behaviors of 60 5-month-old girls and boys were observed as they played with three unfamiliar toys and one familiar toy of their own during a laboratory session. Infants were seated at a table on the lap of an assistant. Each toy was placed on the table and remained there for 2 min after the infant first touched it. Frequency and duration of visual fixation on the toy, hand contact with the toy, five categories of lateralization, and eight categories of handling behaviors were measured. On the whole, the exploratory behaviors of girls and boys were not markedly different. However, girls spent more time than boys did in simultaneous hand contact with and visual fixation on their own familiar toy, whereas boys made more frequent contact with the familiar toy without visual fixation. In addition, boys displayed, overall, more tapping behaviors, and girls, more pinching and object-displacement behaviors. Girls and boys did not differ in manual lateralization. Results are discussed in reference to infants' rate of development, motor activity level, and girls' and boys' reactions to novelty.

Attention↗
PubMed1981

Interaction between purine and benzodiazepine: Inosine reverses diazepam-induced stimulation of mouse exploratory behavior.

Inosine, 2-deoxyinosine, and 2-deoxyguanosine completely reversed the increase in exploratory activity elicited in mice by diazepam. The inhibition of exploratory behavior by purines occurred at doses that when given alone have no effect on exploratory behavior. 7-Methylinosine, which does not bind to the brain benzodiazepine binding site in vitro, had no effect on the diazepam-induced increase in exploratory behavior. Behavioral effects produced by various combinations of inosine and diazepam indicate that the interaction between purine and benzodiazepine is antagonistic and support the hypothesis that the naturally occurring purines function in anxiety-related behaviors that respond to benzodiazepine treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Effects of detention and illumination on rats' exploratory behavior in a two-box apparatus.

The effects of detention and lighting intensity on the exploratory behavior of male Wistar rats have been investigated by means of several types of two-box apparatus. Experiments consisted of six consecutive daily trials. Step-through latency values were taken up to 180 sec. Even a very short detention (10 sec) within the starting box exerted a powerful inhibitory influence on the exploratory behavior of the subjects. Uniformly well-lighted surroundings (both boxes) exerted an equally powerful inhibitory influence on the same behavior. This inhibition was only slightly decreased by the availability of visual cues. Only in the apparatus in which at least one box was dark was the exploratory behavior well maintained. Both detention and bright lighting inhibited selectively the exploratory, locomotor behavior of these animals and did not inhibit other motor activities. In fact, groomings and attempts (abortive passages from one box into the other) were repeatedly performed during the increased step-through latency. These activities are discussed as indicators of a conflict between drives.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship of parent-child communication to child's exploratory behavior and self-differentiation.

In a study that investigated the relationship between patterns of acknowledgment in parent--child communication and the child's exploratory behavior and self-differentiation, subjects included 77 healthy perschool children between the ages of 3 years, 3 months and 4 years, 9 months and their mothers. Data on parent--child communication were collected in the home setting during a 30-minute observation in which mothers and children were engaged in a series of semi-structured play activities. Maternal responses to their children's assertions were coded as nonevaluative recognition, positive recognition, negative recognition, direction, or nonrecognition. A score on parent--child communication was the ratio of parental nonevaluative recognition and positive recognition combined to parental negative recognition, direction, and nonrecognition combined. Testing of the children on exploratory behavior and self-differentiation was done on an individual basis in their respective nursery schools. A low positive correlation (r = .237, p less than .05) between parent--child communication and children's self-differentiation was observed. Contrary to expectation, a slight negative correlation (r = -.101, p greater than .05) between parent--child communication and children's exploratory behavior was observed. Auxiliary analyses of the data, taking into consideration the child's sex, revealed that the negative relationship between parent--child-communication and children's exploratory behavior was characteristic of the mother-daughter dyads only (r = -.325, p = .08). A correlation of .078 (p greater than .05 was obtained for mother--son communication with boys' exploratory behavior.

Child Behavior↗
PubMed1991

Effects of eltoprazine hydrochloride on exploratory behavior and social attraction in mice.

The effects of eltoprazine (DU 28853) on exploratory behavior and conspecific social attraction were examined in four experiments. Drug treatments somewhat enhanced three forms of exploratory behavior but decreased social attraction. The results indicate that eltoprazine, in sharp contrast to fluprazine, weakly ameliorates neophobic responses. Both eltoprazine and fluprazine seem to increase the aversiveness of encounters with other organisms, however. The latter effects may be mediated, in part at least, by some alteration in olfactory function.

Aggression↗
PubMed1986

Patterns of exploratory behavior in the spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus.

The present paper reports an investigation of patterns of exploratory behavior shown by laboratory-bred Spiny Mice (Acomys cahirinus) when given access to a large, novel arena. The aim was to test hypotheses suggested by our previous work with this species. Previous experiments in which the exploratory behavior of Acomys was compared with that of Mus had suggested that each species had a characteristic pattern of emergence and exploration. The present experiment addressed the question of whether the exploratory patterns of Acomys could be predicted from patterns of emergence as suggested by earlier experiments. Data are presented which indicate that the exploratory behavior of Acomys in a large, novel arena is reasonably predictable. The data presented include measures of the animal's responses to different stimuli within the novel environment, including novel, conspicuous objects, food sources, and the holding cage to which the animal could return. In addition, the patterns of movement through different areas of the environment were recorded in relation to the behavior of the animal when it was first given access to the arena. The data indicate that there are two types of strategy, or patterns, by which Acomys begin to explore a novel environment. The first type consists of a delayed emergence into the arena, followed by brief excursions into the area immediately adjacent to the holding cage, interspersed with longer periods of returns to the holding cage. The second type involves immediate emergence, followed by rapid "dashes" around the periphery of the arena. Which of the two strategies is adopted appears to depend upon the animal's behavior at the time of initial access. Two subsequent experiments considered these strategies further. Experiment 2 indicated that Type I was more characteristic of males and Type II more characteristic of females, although there were no differences related to the female estrous cycle. In Experiment 3, the patterns of exploration over four consecutive tests were investigated. It was found that the strategy adopted by an individual is likely to be consistent across tests.

Animals↗