Open-field behavior differences

Activity and exploration are also frequently measured in behavioral teratological research. Many different test situations can be chosen, e.g. small or large open fields, 8-maze, holeboard, activity cages, activity wheels, etc.. Although the behavior measured in different tests is indicated by the same terms, it should not be expected that activity in one situation is affected in other test situations in exactly the same way. Each test is likely to elicit slightly different aspects of activity and/or explorative behavior. 

The firing rate of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells is known to depend on spatial location, that is, contextual environment information related to exploration behavior is encoded by cell activity (Hollup et al., 2001 Thompson and Best, 1990). In the present study, the population spike amplitude (PSA), measured with simultaneous determination of locomotor activity, in the CA1 field evoked by Schaffer collaterals stimulation was slightly decreased during exposure to the open field (Fig. 1). However, no significant difference in changes of synaptic transmission in the CA1 field was observed between the FS groups and non-FS controls (Koseki et al., 2007). 

A number of other assessments have been undertaken on the D4R(—/—) mice aiming to identify subtle behavioral differences. The behavioral responses of the D4R(—/—) mice to novelty were examined with approach avoidance paradigms (Dulawa et al., 1999) and D4R(—/—) mice were found to be significantly less behaviorally responsive to novelty, although responses in two of the assays could be interpreted as enhanced anxiety-like behavior (reduced center entries in an open field test and emergence from a cylinder in an open field). Interestingly, a subsequent study confirmed that anxiety-like behavior, such as reduced exploration of the open arms of the elevated plus maze and longer latencies to... 

This exercise and the next both deal with scent communication in mice. We practice two techniques frequently used in the Animal Behavior laboratory In this first experiment, we test a mammal s response to conspecific odors in a two-way choice apparatus, also called a Y- or T-maze, an often used bioassay device. [In the following experiment (Chap. 21), we observe and quantify scent marking behavior in response to two different stimuli in an open field. ]... 

Table 2.1. Demonstration of the drive-induced, essential behavioral consequences in an open field in rats The qualitative difference between an innate-, or acquired-drive-induced purposeful hypermotility, due to enhanced orienting-searching reflex activity,3 on the one hand, and amphetamine-induced purposeless hypermotility, due to continuous release of catecholamines from their intraneuronal stores, on the other ...

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