Biomaterial Database

Effects of malnutrition and environment on the acquisition and extinction of avoidance behavior in rats. 1985

L M De Oliveira, and S de S Almeida

Twelve newborn rats were fed by mothers maintained on a protein-deficient diet (12% casein, M) during lactation, and 12 rats fed by mothers maintained on a diet containing 25% casein were used as controls (C). After weaning, all animals were fed standard lab ration. Half of each group was housed individually (MI and CI), while the other half was allowed to live in pairs (MP and CP). When adult, all animals were trained to avoid footshocks by jumping onto a platform. Training sessions consisted of 40 trials starting with a 20 sec light stimulus (CS) and followed by a 2 sec, 0.6 mA shock (US) with an average intertrial interval of 54 sec. When all animals displayed consistent avoidance behavior, the extinction phase was initiated. The procedure was the same as for the training sessions except that the shock generator was disconnected. Extinction continued until each animal showed a 50% reduction in avoidance performance. During acquisition, MI learned faster than CI and CI showed greater avoidance performance than CP, but no differences were observed between MP and CP. During extinction, group M responded more persistently than group C. The present acquisition results may explain the contradictory data reported in the literature with respect to the effects of malnutrition on avoidance performance, since environmental stimulation was shown to reduce the effects of early malnutrition. Individually housed animals showed greater avoidance performance during both phases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007774	Lactation	The processes of milk secretion by the maternal MAMMARY GLANDS after PARTURITION. The proliferation of the mammary glandular tissue, milk synthesis, and milk expulsion or let down are regulated by the interactions of several hormones including ESTRADIOL; PROGESTERONE; PROLACTIN; and OXYTOCIN.	Lactation, Prolonged,Milk Secretion,Lactations, Prolonged,Milk Secretions,Prolonged Lactation,Prolonged Lactations
D007859	Learning Disabilities	Conditions characterized by a significant discrepancy between an individual's perceived level of intellect and their ability to acquire new language and other cognitive skills. These may result from organic or psychological conditions. Relatively common subtypes include DYSLEXIA, DYSCALCULIA, and DYSGRAPHIA.	Adolescent Learning Disabilities,Adult Learning Disabilities,Child Learning Disabilities,Developmental Academic Disability,Developmental Academic Disorder,Developmental Disabilities of Scholastic Skills,Learning Disabilities, Adolescent,Learning Disabilities, Child,Learning Disorders,Academic Disorder, Developmental,Adult Learning Disorders,Developmental Disorders of Scholastic Skills,Learning Disorders, Adult,Learning Disturbance,Scholastic Skills Development Disorders,Academic Disabilities, Developmental,Academic Disability, Developmental,Academic Disorders, Developmental,Adolescent Learning Disability,Adult Learning Disability,Adult Learning Disorder,Child Learning Disability,Developmental Academic Disabilities,Developmental Academic Disorders,Disabilities, Adolescent Learning,Disabilities, Adult Learning,Disabilities, Child Learning,Disabilities, Developmental Academic,Disabilities, Learning,Disability, Adolescent Learning,Disability, Adult Learning,Disability, Child Learning,Disability, Developmental Academic,Disability, Learning,Disorder, Learning,Disorders, Adult Learning,Disorders, Learning,Disturbance, Learning,Disturbances, Learning,Learning Disabilities, Adult,Learning Disability,Learning Disability, Adolescent,Learning Disability, Adult,Learning Disability, Child,Learning Disorder,Learning Disorder, Adult,Learning Disturbances
D008297	Male		Males
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011488	Protein Deficiency	A nutritional condition produced by a deficiency of proteins in the diet, characterized by adaptive enzyme changes in the liver, increase in amino acid synthetases, and diminution of urea formation, thus conserving nitrogen and reducing its loss in the urine. Growth, immune response, repair, and production of enzymes and hormones are all impaired in severe protein deficiency. Protein deficiency may also arise in the face of adequate protein intake if the protein is of poor quality (i.e., the content of one or more amino acids is inadequate and thus becomes the limiting factor in protein utilization). (From Merck Manual, 16th ed; Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 12th ed, p406)	Deficiency, Protein,Deficiencies, Protein,Protein Deficiencies
D011919	Rats, Inbred Strains	Genetically identical individuals developed from brother and sister matings which have been carried out for twenty or more generations or by parent x offspring matings carried out with certain restrictions. This also includes animals with a long history of closed colony breeding.	August Rats,Inbred Rat Strains,Inbred Strain of Rat,Inbred Strain of Rats,Inbred Strains of Rats,Rat, Inbred Strain,August Rat,Inbred Rat Strain,Inbred Strain Rat,Inbred Strain Rats,Inbred Strains Rat,Inbred Strains Rats,Rat Inbred Strain,Rat Inbred Strains,Rat Strain, Inbred,Rat Strains, Inbred,Rat, August,Rat, Inbred Strains,Rats Inbred Strain,Rats Inbred Strains,Rats, August,Rats, Inbred Strain,Strain Rat, Inbred,Strain Rats, Inbred,Strain, Inbred Rat,Strains, Inbred Rat
D011930	Reaction Time	The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed.	Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D004597	Electroshock	Induction of a stress reaction in experimental subjects by means of an electrical shock; applies to either convulsive or non-convulsive states.	Electroconvulsive Shock,Electroconvulsive Shocks,Electroshocks,Shock, Electroconvulsive,Shocks, Electroconvulsive
D005108	Extinction, Psychological	The procedure of presenting the conditioned stimulus without REINFORCEMENT to an organism previously conditioned. It refers also to the diminution of a conditioned response resulting from this procedure.	Psychological Extinction,Extinction (Psychology),Extinctions (Psychology),Extinctions, Psychological,Psychological Extinctions