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Tsukuba High- and Low-Emotional strains of rats (Rattus norvegicus): An overview

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Abstract

This report compiles the results of a series of studies on the Tsukuba High- and Low-Emotional strains (THE and TLE) of rats (Rattus norvegicus) established at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. The THE and TLE strains have been selected, respectively, for low and high activity in a runway test. During the course of selection, defecation has increased in the THE strain and decreased in the TLE strain. These strain differences were not affected by maternal influences, early experience, or psychotropic drugs. THE rats were consistently inactive in all novel situations examined, while TLEs were very active. The level of spontaneous activity, however, was similar between the two strains. It was remarkable that THE rats showed more burrowing activity than TLE animals, whereas the latter displayed more aggression than the former. Differences in learning ability, concentration of neural transmitters, and social behavior were examined.

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Author notes

  1. Osamu Fujita

    Present address: Faculty of Management and Information Science, Jobu University, Shin-machi, Tano-gun, 370-13, Gunma, Japan

  2. Yasumasa Annen

    Present address: Aichi Mizuho College, 470-03, Toyota, Aichi, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychology, University of Tsukuba, 305, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Osamu Fujita, Yasumasa Annen & Akiyoshi Kitaoka

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  1. Osamu Fujita
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  2. Yasumasa Annen
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Correspondence to Akiyoshi Kitaoka.

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Based upon a previous report written in Japanese: Fujita, O., Nakamura, N., Miyamoto, K., Katayama, T., Kamazuka, M., and Katoh, H. (1980). Behavioral differences in rats selected for high and low emotional reactivity.Tsukuba Psychol. Res. 2:19–31. The present paper includes research conducted since that time.

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Fujita, O., Annen, Y. & Kitaoka, A. Tsukuba High- and Low-Emotional strains of rats (Rattus norvegicus): An overview. Behav Genet 24, 389–415 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01067540

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