0000000001005544
AUTHOR
F. Faulisi
Early alterations of the behavioural structure of mice affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy and tested in open-field
Present study has been carried out to assess whether early alterations of the behavioural structure may be detected in mice affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). To this purpose, both quantitative and T-pattern analysis (TPA) were used to analyse the behaviour of two groups of male, two months old mice, 18 MDX and 18 normal as control, tested in an open-field apparatus. T-pattern analysis is a multivariate technique able to reveal hidden structural features of behaviour and, in particular, its temporal characteristics. As to quantitative analyses, mean durations evidenced a significant increase of Walking, Modified Climbing and Rearing and a significant reduction of Immobile-Sniffi…
Temporal patterns of rat behaviour in the central platform of the elevated plus maze. Comparative analysis between male subjects of strains with different basal levels of emotionality
We have analyzed the temporal patterns of behaviour of male rats of the Wistar and DA/Han strains on the central platform of the elevated plus maze. The ethogram encompassed 10 behavioural elements. Durations, frequencies and latencies showed quantitative differences as to walking and sniffing activities. Wistar rats displayed significantly lower latency and significantly higher durations and frequencies of walking activities. DA/Han rats showed a significant increase of sniffing duration. In addition, DA/Han rats showed a significantly higher amount of time spent in the central platform. Multivariate T-pattern analysis revealed differences in the temporal organization of behaviour of the t…
T-pattern analysis for the study of temporal structure of animal and human behavior : a comprehensive review
A basic tenet in the realm of modern behavioral sciences is that behavior consists of patterns in time. For this reason, investigations of behavior deal with sequences that are not easily perceivable by the unaided observer. This problem calls for improved means of detection, data handling and analysis. This review focuses on the analysis of the temporal structure of behavior carried out by means of a multivariate approach known as T-pattern analysis. Using this technique, recurring sequences of behavioral events, usually hard to detect, can be unveiled and carefully described. T-pattern analysis has been successfully applied in the study of various aspects of human or animal behavior such …
T-pattern detection and analysis for the discovery of hidden features of behaviour
Abstract Background The behaviour of all living beings consists of hidden patterns in time; consequently, its nature and its underlying dynamics are intrinsically difficult to be perceived and detected by the unaided observer. Method Such a scientific challenge calls for improved means of detection, data handling and analysis. By using a powerful and versatile technique known as T-pattern detection and analysis (TPA) it is possible to unveil hidden relationships among the behavioural events in time. Results TPA is demonstrated to be a solid and versatile tool to study the deep structure of behaviour in different experimental contexts, both in human and non human subjects. Conclusion This re…
Multivariate temporal pattern analysis applied to the study of rat behavior in the elevated plus maze: Methodological and conceptual highlights
Aim of this article is to illustrate the application of a multivariate approach known as t-pattern analysis in the study of rat behavior in elevated plus maze. By means of this multivariate approach, significant relationships among behavioral events in the course of time can be described. Both quantitative and t-pattern analyses were utilized to analyze data obtained from fifteen male Wistar rats following a trial 1 - trial 2 protocol. In trial 2, in comparison with the initial exposure, mean occurrences of behavioral elements performed in protected zones of the maze showed a significant increase counterbalanced by a significant decrease of mean occurrences of behavioral elements in unprote…
Acute Nicotine Induces Anxiety and Disrupts Temporal Pattern Organization of Rat Exploratory Behavior in Hole-Board: A Potential Role for the Lateral Habenula
Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs of abuse. Tobacco smoking is a major cause of many health problems, and is the first preventable cause of death worldwide. Several findings show that nicotine exerts significant aversive as well as the well-known rewarding motivational effects. Less certain is the anatomical substrate that mediates or enables nicotine aversion. Here, we show that acute nicotine induces anxiogenic-like effects in rats at the doses investigated (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg, i.p.), as measured by the hole-board apparatus and manifested in behaviors such as decreased rearing and head-dipping and increased grooming. No changes in locomotor behavior were observed at any of …
The effects of different basal levels of anxiety on the behavioral shift analyzed in the central platform of the elevated plus maze.
The aim of the present research was to study the effects of different basal levels of anxiety on the behavioral shift studied in the central platform of the elevated plus maze. To this purpose, quantitative and multivariate analyses, the latter based on transition matrix elaboration, were carried out on Wistar and on DA/Han rats the latter belonging to a strain characterized by different reactivity to anxiogenic stimuli. Wistar rats spent 74.11 ± 5.11 s in the central platform, whereas DA/Han significantly more: 127.08 ± 9.87. Per cent distributions evidenced a clear-cut difference in walking activities (46.25% in Wistar, 28.4% in DA/Han rats) and in the sniffing activities (45.82% in Wista…
Application of multivariate T-pattern analysis in the study of social interaction in rats
ABSTRACT NON PREVISTO DALLA PUBBLICAZIONE
Discovery of recurring behavioural sequences in Wistar rat social activity: Possible support to studies on Autism Spectrum Disorders.
This study was undertaken to investigate whether, in rat interactive activities, recurring sequences of behavioural events might be identified and how and to what extent each component of the pair is involved. To this aim, the multivariate temporal-pattern (t-pattern) analysis was applied to the social interactions of 9 pairs of male Wistar rats tested in open field. Interactive activities were classified into intra- and inter-subjects. Quantitative evaluations showed that intra-subject behavioural elements represented 62.37% and inter-subject ones 37.63% of the comprehensive behaviour. T-pattern analysis revealed the presence of 221 different t-patterns organized in four different categori…
The effects of morphine on the temporal structure of Wistar rat behavioral response to pain in hot-plate
Rationale: The largest amount of researches on the hot-plate test was carried out using quantitative assessments. However, the evaluation of the relationships among the different elements that compose the behavioral response to pain requires different approaches. Although previous studies have provided clear information on the behavioral structure of the response, no data are available on its temporal structure. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the temporal structure of the behavioral response to pain in Wistar rat tested in hot-plate and how this structure was influenced by morphine-induced analgesia. Methods: The behavior of four groups of subjects tested in hot-…
Effects of the benzodiazepine inverse agonist FG7142 on the structure of anxiety-related behavior of male Wistar rats tested in hole board
Little is known about the structural characteristics of the behavior of rats with enhanced anxiety level. To fill this gap, a study was undertaken where effects of an anxiogenic drug were examined on behavioral structure of rats tested in hole board.This study investigates effects of increased anxiety level on the structure of the behavior of rats tested in hole board METHODS: Different doses of FG7142 (1, 4, 8 mg/kg IP), a potent anxiety-inducing drug, were administered to three groups of male Wistar rats. A further group was administered saline. Experiments were recorded through a digital camera. Quantitative and multivariate approaches were applied.Percent distributions and durations sho…