Social play experience in juvenile rats is indispensable for appropriate socio-sexual behavior in adulthood in males but not females.

ABSTRACT: Social play is a dynamic and rewarding behavior abundantly expressed by most mammals during the juvenile period. While its exact function is debated, various rodent studies on the effects of juvenile social isolation suggest that participating in play is essential to appropriate behavior and reproductive success in adulthood. However, the vast majority of these studies were conducted in one sex only, a critical concern given the fact that there are known sex differences in play's expression: across nearly all species that play, males play more frequently and intensely than females, and there are qualitative sex differences in play patterns. Further limiting our understanding of the importance of play is the use of total isolation to prevent interactions with other juveniles. Here, we emplo

SUBMITTER: Marquardt AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9899815 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature