Relationship between exploratory activity and adrenocortical activity in the black rat (Rattus rattus)
Autor: | Veronika Rudolfová, Václav Stejskal, Petra Chumová, Rupert Palme, Iveta Štolhoferová, Barbora Kaftanová, Marcela Fraňková, Daniel Frynta, Aleksandra Chomik, Barbora Vobrubová |
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Rok vydání: | 2020 |
Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine Male Rodent Physiology Animals Wild 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Immunoenzyme Techniques 03 medical and health sciences Feces Negatively associated biology.animal Genetics medicine Animals Molecular Biology Glucocorticoids Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Hole-board test biology Behavior Animal biology.organism_classification Diurnal rhythms Rats 030104 developmental biology Black rat Adrenal Cortex Exploratory Behavior Animal Science and Zoology Stress reactivity Glucocorticoid medicine.drug |
Zdroj: | Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiologyREFERENCES. 335(2) |
ISSN: | 2471-5646 |
Popis: | The relationship between physiological and behavioral stress markers is documented in several rodent species. However, there is no information regarding the role of adrenocortical activity in behavior of the black rat (Rattus rattus). Therefore, we hypothesize that the adrenocortical activity of black rats varies between individuals and is related to some of the behaviors in a novel environment. To test this hypothesis, we (i) validated a method for quantifying glucocorticoid metabolites from feces (fGCMs) with an enzyme immunoassay (EIA); (ii) examined variation and diurnal rhythms of feces and GCM production; and (iii) examined the relationship between GCM levels and exploratory behavioral traits. We fulfilled the first aim (i) by successfully performing an ACTH challenge test to validate the use of a 5α-pregnane-3β,11β,21-triol-20-one EIA for measuring fGCMs. Second (ii) we detected considerable consistent interindividual variability in production of both feces and glucocorticoids. The peak production of feces occurred in the first hour of the dark cycle, the peak of fGCMs occurred approximately 3 h later. Lastly, (iii) there was no clear relationship between behavior in the hole board test and GCMs. Grooming, a typical behavioral stress marker, was negatively associated with stress reactivity, while head-dipping in the hole-board test (traditionally considered an exploratory behavior independent of stress) was not correlated with the GCMs. This study offers a first look at GCMs in the black rat, successfully validates a method for their measurement and opens possibilities for future research of the relationship between glucocorticoids and exploratory behavior in this species. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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