A new paradigm for Prosocial Behavior and Reciprocity, assessed in WT and HET rats for the DAT gene.
A new paradigm for Prosocial Behavior and Reciprocity, assessed in WT and HET rats for the DAT gene.
Behav Brain Res. 2020 Jun 02;:112746
Authors: Fabiana F, Clelia B, Luca C, Marinella P, Silvia C, Giuseppe C, Walter A
Abstract
Most behavioral studies on animals focus on observation of individual subjects. Current paradigms of sociability set aside the social-operant dimension, i.e. acting in favor of another conspecific. We focused on prosocial behavior and reciprocity of male, adult Wild-Type (WT) and Heterozygous (HET) rats for the dopamine-transporter (DAT) gene. METHOD: The experiment consisted of 24 rats, of WT (nā=ā12) and HET (nā=ā12) genotypes. During training, rats were daily introduced, individually, into an apparatus hosting a suspended syringe, which learnt to push in order to obtain food therein. Then, twice daily along several weeks, we introduced two rats separated by a grid in the same structure: by syringe-pushing each subject had the opportunity to donate and receive donations of food. We tested pairs with similar versus different genotype. Eventually, we replaced food reward with polystyrene pieces, to understand if they pushed for actual reward or like a habit. RESULTS: In general, WT rats had better performance, regardless of reward type, than HET ones. When we crossed partner rats' genotype (WT-HET pairs), WT rats pushed at peak levels, regardless of food pellet received back (in fact, HET companions p...
Source: Behavioural Brain Research - Category: Neurology Authors: Fabiana F, Clelia B, Luca C, Marinella P, Silvia C, Giuseppe C, Walter A Tags: Behav Brain Res Source Type: research