Rat behavior in a light/dark chamber: place preference task

After a 6-week social isolation (from 22nd to 70th day from birth) male Wistar rats (a sibship, 10 animals), were tested for 20 min in a light/dark box in order to reveal behavioral features of choice of their spatial localization in unknown conditions. Socially deprived rats significantly differed from control animals in longer time of the room choice, higher number of entries of the light section, and higher number of rearings, which was probably explained by their higher anxiety and lack of experience to estimate unexpected stimuli and select a response. The mean level of behavioral activity during exploration of the box defined by the number of elementary operations per minute remained constant and was significantly higher in the socially deprived rats than in the control animals.