Sex Differences in Behavior and Learning Abilities in Adult Rats.

ABSTRACT: Laboratory rats have excellent learning abilities and are often used in cognitive neuroscience research. The majority of rat studies are conducted on males, whereas females are usually overlooked. Here, we examined sex differences in behavior and tactile sensitivity in littermates during adulthood (5.8-7.6 months of age). We used a battery of behavioral tests, including the 2% sucrose preference test (positive motivation), a free-choice paradigm (T-maze, neutral situation), and associative fear-avoidance learning (negative motivation, aversive situation). Tactile perception was examined using the von Frey test (aversive situation). In two aversive situations (von Frey test and avoidance learning), females were examined during the diestrus stage of the estrous cycle, and ultrasonic vocaliza

SUBMITTER: Pupikina M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9966297 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature