The Concentric Square Field: A multivariate test arena for
ethoexperimental analysis of explorative strategies
B.J Meyerson1, H. Augustsson3, M. Berg1,2, E. Roman2 and I. Nylander2
1Department of Neuroscience
2Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Division of Pharmacology,
Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
3Department of Animal Environment and Health Section of Animal Welfare,
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
In this study, we describe the behavior of laboratory rats and mice
in a device, the Concentric Square Field (CSF). The CSF contains a number
of spaces designed to provoke exploration and behaviours associated to
risk assessment, risk taking and seeking security in an environment not
previously experienced. The model includes sheltered, open and elevated
areas, a hole board device, areas of different light conditions and wall
enclosed corridors. The rationale behind the CSF is a multivariate test
situation that is not predictive in the sense of before hand defining
a purpose of measuring a specific mental state. The operational criterion
of multivariate is here a free choice of possibilities to stay in areas
of different qualities. Evaluation of risky versus safe areas was based
on the retrieval behavior in lactating females and hoarding of food pellets
in food-deprived males. We here report on the effects of pre-trial social
stress, restrain, strain differences and the performance in a repeated
trial. A principal component analysis (PCA) contributed, besides the conventional
statistics, to discriminate between the various categories tested. The
pup retrieval and food hoarding observations show that risk versus safety
qualities are associated to particular regions in the CSF apparatus. Quantitative
and qualitative differences in the various elements of the behavior profile
were obtained by pretrial social stress, strain differences were detected
and the animal acquired an experience from the novelty situation, which
influenced the behavior in a repeated encounter 40-45 days later, indicating
a memory consolidation.
Paper presented
at Measuring Behavior 2005
, 5th International Conference on Methods and Techniques
in Behavioral Research, 30 August - 2 September 2005, Wageningen, The
Netherlands.
© 2005 Noldus
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