Biomaterial Database

Huddling by rat pups: multisensory control of contact behavior. 1978

J R Alberts

Huddling, or clumping behavior, begins in the litter situation and persists throughout the adult life of the rat (Rattus norvegicus). In pups, as in adults, the behavior provides a metabolically important means of reducing heat loss. The sensory stimuli that elicit, direct, and maintain huddling in developing rat pups (5-20 days of age) were studied in a standardized testing situation by using long-term time-lapse video observations. All pups huddled with a single, immobile sibling. A loop of warm tubing also elicited huddline. However, it appears that other, nonthermal cues can elicit huddling, since a dead, ambient-temperature pup was a sufficient stimulus for the behavior. Disruption of normal olfactory input by intranasal infusion of zinc sulfate interfered with the maintenance of contact. In addition, two kinds of tactile stimulus, vertical contours and furry "comfort" cues, as well as photic responses appeared to participate in the mediation of huddling. Huddling in the altricial rat is under multisensory control, although the number of cues used by pups for huddling appears to increase with age.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010775	Photic Stimulation	Investigative technique commonly used during ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY in which a series of bright light flashes or visual patterns are used to elicit brain activity.	Stimulation, Photic,Visual Stimulation,Photic Stimulations,Stimulation, Visual,Stimulations, Photic,Stimulations, Visual,Visual Stimulations
D001831	Body Temperature	The measure of the level of heat of a human or animal.	Organ Temperature,Body Temperatures,Organ Temperatures,Temperature, Body,Temperature, Organ,Temperatures, Body,Temperatures, Organ
D003463	Cues	Signals for an action; that specific portion of a perceptual field or pattern of stimuli to which a subject has learned to respond.	Cue
D004777	Environment	The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population.	Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D006358	Hot Temperature	Presence of warmth or heat or a temperature notably higher than an accustomed norm.	Heat,Hot Temperatures,Temperature, Hot,Temperatures, Hot
D000367	Age Factors	Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time.	Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
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
D000831	Animals, Newborn	Refers to animals in the period of time just after birth.	Animals, Neonatal,Animal, Neonatal,Animal, Newborn,Neonatal Animal,Neonatal Animals,Newborn Animal,Newborn Animals
D001522	Behavior, Animal	The observable response an animal makes to any situation.	Autotomy Animal,Animal Behavior,Animal Behaviors
D012677	Sensation	The process in which specialized SENSORY RECEPTOR CELLS transduce peripheral stimuli (physical or chemical) into NERVE IMPULSES which are then transmitted to the various sensory centers in the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Sensory Function,Organoleptic,Function, Sensory,Functions, Sensory,Sensations,Sensory Functions