BACKGROUND: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can produce deficits in a wide range of cognitive functions but is especially detrimental to behaviors requiring accurate spatial information processing. In open field environments, spatial behavior is organized such that animals establish "home bases" marked by long stops focused around one location. Progressions away from the home base are circuitous and slow, while progressions directed toward the home base are non-circuitous and fast. The impact of PAE on the organization of open field behavior has not been experimentally investigated. METHODS: In the present study, adult female and male rats with moderate PAE or saccharin exposure locomoted a circular high walled open field for 30 minutes under lighted conditions. RESULTS: The findings indicate that PAE and sex influence the organization of open field behavior. Consistent with previous literature, PAE rats exhibited greater locomotion in the open field. Novel findings from the current study indicate that PAE and sex also impact open field measures specific to spatial orientation. While all rats established a home base on the periphery of the open field, PAE rats, particularly males, exhibited significantly less clustered home base stopping with smaller changes in heading between stops. PAE also impaired progression measures specific to distance estimation, while sex alone impacted progression measures specific to direction estimation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the conclusion that adult male rats have an increased susceptibility to the effects of PAE on the organization of open field behavior.
BACKGROUND: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can produce deficits in a wide range of cognitive functions but is especially detrimental to behaviors requiring accurate spatial information processing. In open field environments, spatial behavior is organized such that animals establish "home bases" marked by long stops focused around one location. Progressions away from the home base are circuitous and slow, while progressions directed toward the home base are non-circuitous and fast. The impact of PAE on the organization of open field behavior has not been experimentally investigated. METHODS: In the present study, adult female and male rats with moderate PAE or saccharin exposure locomoted a circular high walled open field for 30 minutes under lighted conditions. RESULTS: The findings indicate that PAE and sex influence the organization of open field behavior. Consistent with previous literature, PAE rats exhibited greater locomotion in the open field. Novel findings from the current study indicate that PAE and sex also impact open field measures specific to spatial orientation. While all rats established a home base on the periphery of the open field, PAE rats, particularly males, exhibited significantly less clustered home base stopping with smaller changes in heading between stops. PAE also impaired progression measures specific to distance estimation, while sex alone impacted progression measures specific to direction estimation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the conclusion that adult male rats have an increased susceptibility to the effects of PAE on the organization of open field behavior.
Authors: Mark T Banovetz; Rami I Lake; Ashley A Blackwell; Jenna R Osterlund Oltmanns; Ericka A Schaeffer; Ryan M Yoder; Douglas G Wallace Journal: Exp Brain Res Date: 2021-02-08 Impact factor: 1.972
Authors: Sarah N Mattson; Scott C Roesch; Ase Fagerlund; Ilona Autti-Rämö; Kenneth Lyons Jones; Philip A May; Colleen M Adnams; Valentina Konovalova; Edward P Riley Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2010-06-21 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: M D De Bellis; D B Clark; S R Beers; P H Soloff; A M Boring; J Hall; A Kersh; M S Keshavan Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2000-05 Impact factor: 18.112