Effect of a social companion on the ultrasonic vocalizations and contact responses of 3-day-old rat pups.
Behav Neurosci
; 106(2): 421-6, 1992 Apr.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-1590959
ABSTRACT
Rat pups that are isolated in a novel environment emit ultrasonic calls. Vocalization in 3-day-old pups has been thought to be predominantly under thermal control (Allin & Banks, 1971). By the 2nd week of life, ultrasonic vocalizations are reduced when pups are tested in the company of a single anesthetized littermate (Carden & Hofer, 1990a; Hofer & Shair, 1978). In the present study, it was demonstrated that the vocalization rate of 3-day-old pups is also decreased when an anesthetized littermate is present in the isolation chamber. To determine whether this quieting was a function of the body heat of the companion, in a 2nd experiment, the axillary temperature of the companion was lowered until it was the same as the ambient temperature of the test chamber, 22 degrees C. In the presence of a cool companion, ultrasonic vocalizations were also reduced. For the last experiment, a textured plastic surrogate was substituted for the littermate. Calls were not diminished in the presence of the surrogate.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Meio Social
/
Isolamento Social
/
Vocalização Animal
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Behav Neurosci
Ano de publicação:
1992
Tipo de documento:
Article