Open-field responses of rats to odors from stressed and nonstressed predecessors

Abstract

Male rats were observed on a clean table with extending runways. Paired comparisons were made with clean runways, those on which conspecifics had been stressed, and previously present but not stressed. The subjects stopped more frequently and for a longer duration on runways with predecessors than on clean ones. Stopping was more frequent on runways with stressed predecessors than with nonstressed predecessors. When runways from stressed predecessors were present, there was more frequent urination on the table than when those runways were not used, despite that in the former conditions the subjects spent considerably less time on the table than on the runways.