Distinct dynamics of social motivation drive differential social behavior in laboratory rat and mouse strains

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19569-0
• Publication Date: 2020-11-20T11:07:06Z
• Authors: Shai Netser; Ana Meyer; Hen Magalnik; Asaph Zylbertal; Shani Haskal de l...; Mayan Briller; Alexander Bizer; Valery Grinevich; Shlomo Wagner
• Keywords: Social Behavior; Social Preferences; Dynamics; Social Stress

Abstract Mice and rats are widely used to explore mechanisms of mammalian social behavior in health disease, raising the question whether they actually differ their behavior. Here we address this by directly comparing investigation between two mouse rat strains most frequently for behavioral studies as models neuropathological conditions: C57BL/6 J mice Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Employing novel experimental systems analysis both subjects stimuli during preference test, reveal marked differences dynamics strains, suggesting stronger faster induction motivation SD These different patterns, which correlate with distinctive c-Fos expression motivation-related brain areas, modified competition non-social rewarding stimuli, a strain-specific manner. Thus, these behavior, should be taken into consideration when selecting an appropriate model organism.