Ethopharmacological evaluation of the rat exposure test: A prey-predator interaction test

Author(s)

Caetano Campos, Kelciane Ferreira ^{[1, 2]} ; Santana Amaral, Vanessa Cristiane ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Rico, Javier Leonardo ^{[1, 4]} ; Miguel, Tarciso Tadeu ^{[1, 5, 2]} ; Nunes-de-Souza, Ricardo Luiz ^{[1, 5, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Sch Pharmaceut Sci, Pharmacol Lab, BR-14801902 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[2] Joint Grad Program Physiol Sci UFSCar UNESP, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[3] UnUCET UEG, Unidade Univ Ciencias Exatas & Tecnol, BR-75132903 Anapolis, Go - Brazil

^[4] Fdn Univ Konrad Lorenz, Lab Anim Behav, Bogota - Colombia

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Neurosci & Behav IneC, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Behavioural Brain Research; v. 240, p. 160-170, MAR 1 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 15

Abstract

The rat exposure test (RET) is a prey (mouse)-predator (rat) situation that activates brain defensive areas and elicits hormonal and defensive behavior in the mouse. Here, we investigated possible correlations between the spatiotemporal {[}time spent in protected (home chamber and tunnel) and unprotected (surface) compartments and frequency of entries into the three compartments] and ethological {[}e.g., duration of protected and unprotected stretched-attend postures (SAP), duration of contact with the rat's compartment] measures (Experiment 1). Secondly, we investigated the effects of systemic treatment with pro- or anti-aversive drugs on the behavior that emerged from the factor analysis (Experiment 2). The effects of chronic (21 days) imipramine and fluoxetine on defensive behavior were also investigated (Experiment 3). Exp. 1 revealed that the time in the protected compartment, protected SAP and rat contacts loaded on factor 1 (defensive behavior), while the total entries and unprotected SAP loaded on factor 2 (locomotor activity). Exp. 2 showed that alprazolam (but not diazepam) selectively changed the defensive factor. Caffeine produced a mild proaversive-like effect, whereas yohimbine only decreased locomotor activity (total entries). Fluoxetine (but not imipramine) produced a weak proaversive-like effect. 5-HT1A/5-HT2 receptor ligands did not change any behavioral measure. In Exp. 3, chronic fluoxetine (but not imipramine) attenuated the defensive behavior factor without changing locomotion. Given that the defensive factor was sensitive to drugs known to attenuate (alprazolam and chronic fluoxetine) and induce (caffeine) panic attack, we suggest the RET as a useful test to assess the effects of panicolytic and panicogenic drugs. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/12252-9 - An ethopharmacological study of a new prey-predator interaction model: the rat exposure test.
• Grantee: Kelciane Caetano Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 05/05171-1 - Role of mechanisms mediated by corticotropin-releasing factor and by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-nitric oxide complex in the reactions associated to aversive stimulus
• Grantee: Tarciso Tadeu Miguel
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate