Biomaterial Database

Infant rats: sensorimotor ontogeny and effects of substantia nigra destruction. 1977

C R Almli, and R S Fisher

The ontogeny of sensorimotor behaviors of albino rats were evaluated from birth through adulthood (Experiment 1). Sensorimotor behaviors (e.g., visual and tactile orientation, forelimb and hindlimb hopping, righting reflexes) achieved mature (adultlike) characteristics at various ages during ontogeny and a rostral-caudal developmental pattern was revealed. In Experiment 2, the substantia nigra was bilaterally or unilaterally destroyed in rats at 10 or 25 days of age and the ontogeny of sensorimotor and regulatory (feeding, drinking, body weight regulation) behaviors were evaluated. Bilateral destruction of the substantia nigra, zona compacta, at 10 and 25 days of age resulted in transient cessation of suckling and/or feeding and drinking followed by recovery. Male brain-damaged rats had reduced body weight through 150-170 days of age. Specific feeding and drinking tests revealed the presence of residual regulatory deficits which seemed permanent. Sensorimotor testing revealed transient dysfunction for a variety of sensorimotor behaviors, with eventual recovery of normal sensorimotor capacity. The results are related to sensorimotor ontogeny and recovery from infant brain damage.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007839	Functional Laterality	Behavioral manifestations of cerebral dominance in which there is preferential use and superior functioning of either the left or the right side, as in the preferred use of the right hand or right foot.	Ambidexterity,Behavioral Laterality,Handedness,Laterality of Motor Control,Mirror Writing,Laterality, Behavioral,Laterality, Functional,Mirror Writings,Motor Control Laterality,Writing, Mirror,Writings, Mirror
D008297	Male		Males
D009043	Motor Activity	Body movements of a human or an animal as a behavioral phenomenon.	Activities, Motor,Activity, Motor,Motor Activities
D009619	Nociceptors	Peripheral AFFERENT NEURONS which are sensitive to injuries or pain, usually caused by extreme thermal exposures, mechanical forces, or other noxious stimuli. Their cell bodies reside in the DORSAL ROOT GANGLIA. Their peripheral terminals (NERVE ENDINGS) innervate target tissues and transduce noxious stimuli via axons to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Pain Receptors,Receptors, Pain,Nociceptive Neurons,Neuron, Nociceptive,Neurons, Nociceptive,Nociceptive Neuron,Nociceptor,Pain Receptor
D009949	Orientation	Awareness of oneself in relation to time, place and person.	Cognitive Orientation,Mental Orientation,Psychological Orientation,Cognitive Orientations,Mental Orientations,Orientation, Cognitive,Orientation, Mental,Orientation, Psychological,Orientations,Orientations, Cognitive,Orientations, Mental,Orientations, Psychological,Psychological Orientations
D010465	Perception	The process by which the nature and meaning of sensory stimuli are recognized and interpreted.	Sensory Processing,Processing, Sensory
D005260	Female		Females
D006120	Grooming	An animal's cleaning and caring for the body surface. This includes preening, the cleaning and oiling of feathers with the bill or of hair with the tongue.	Preening,Groomings,Preenings
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012903	Smell	The ability to detect scents or odors, such as the function of OLFACTORY RECEPTOR NEURONS.	Olfaction,Sense of Smell,Smell Sense