The effects of isolation rearing on open-field behavior in male rats depends on developmental stages

The effects of the duration of isolation and age during isolation on open-field behavior in rats were examined. An inner wall divided the floor of the field into two areas, a peripheral alley and the center square, and the subjects' behavior in each area was measured. An increase in the tendency to avoid the center square was found in rats isolated during their juvenile stage, which disappeared if they were reared in pairs for a long period after isolation. On the other hand, subjects isolated during their postmaturity stage displayed an increased tendency to approach the center square whereas isolation during sexual maturity had no effect. The duration of isolation showed no consistent effect; rather the effect depended on the age of the subjects during isolation. These findings suggest that isolation affects the open-field behavior of rats in various ways, depending on their age during isolation. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.