Familiarity modulates social approach toward stressed conspecifics in female rats

Rogers-Carter, M. M.; Djerdjaj, A.; Culp, A. R.; Elbaz, J. A.; Christianson, J. P.

doi:10.1101/365312

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/365312

Familiarity modulates social approach toward stressed conspecifics in female rats

Rogers-Carter, M. M.·Djerdjaj, A.·Culp, A. R.·Elbaz, J. A.·Christianson, J. P.

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Abstract

Familiarity between conspecifics may influence how social affective cues shape social behaviors. In a social affective preference test, experimental rats, when given the choice to explore an unfamiliar stressed or a naive adult, will avoid interaction with a stressed conspecific. To determine if familiarity would influence social interactions with stressed conspecifics, male and female test rats underwent 2 social affective preference tests in isosexual triads where an experimental rat was presented with a naive and a stressed target conspecific who were either familiar (cagemate) or unfamiliar. Male and female experimental rats avoided stressed unfamiliar conspecifics. However, experimental female rats demonstrated a preference to interact with their stressed, familiar cagemates. Male and female rats exhibited more self-grooming and immobility behavior in the presence of stressed conspecifics, which may indicate emotion contagion. These findings suggest a sex-specific role of familiarity in social approach and avoidance, and warrant further mechanistic exploration.

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Rogers-Carter, M. M., Djerdjaj, A., Culp, A. R., Elbaz, J. A., Christianson, J. P.. 2018-07-09. Familiarity modulates social approach toward stressed conspecifics in female rats. https://doi.org/10.1101/365312

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