Faculty Collaboration Database

Expression of c-fos gene activation during rough and tumble play in juvenile rats. Brain Res Bull 2002 Mar 15;57(5):651-9

Date

04/03/2002

Pubmed ID

11927369

DOI

10.1016/s0361-9230(01)00762-6

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0037086515 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   91 Citations

Abstract

Rough and tumble (R&T) play is an intrinsic behavior in most mammals. However, unlike sex and aggression, play has not been well characterized in terms of neuronal circuitry. We employed in situ hybridization to explore the differences of c-fos mRNA activation in juvenile rats that had been allowed R&T play for a total of 30 min before sacrifice contrasted to animals with comparable histories that had received no play. Densitometric estimates of c-fos gene activation revealed that the deep and dorsolateral tectum, inferior colliculus, dorsal periaquaductal gray, ventromedial hypothalamus, dorsal and ventral striatum, and somatosensory cortex were significantly more activated in animals that had played than those that had not. Prior play dominance and amount of social experience had no clear effects on the levels of c-fos gene expression. This provides a variety of new hypotheses concerning the role of various brain areas in the elaboration of R&T play behavior, but the important role of other types of motor arousal in the differential effects were not evaluated in this study.

Author List

Gordon NS, Kollack-Walker S, Akil H, Panksepp J

Author

Nakia Gordon BS,MA,PhD Assistant Professor in the Psychology department at Marquette University

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aging
Animals
Arousal
Behavior, Animal
Brain
Brain Stem
Male
Motor Activity
Neurons
Play and Playthings
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
RNA, Messenger
Rats
Rats, Long-Evans
Social Behavior
Up-Regulation