Effects of elevated calcium on motor and exploratory activities of rats

Abstract

The effects of serum and brain calcium concentration on rat behavior were tested by maintaining animals on either distilled water (N = 60) or water containing 1% calcium gluconate (N = 60) for 3 days. Animals that were maintained on high calcium drinking water presented increased serum calcium levels (control = 10.12 ± 0.46 vs calcium treated = 11.62 ± 0.51 µg/dl). Increase of brain calcium levels was not statistically significant. In the behavioral experiments each rat was used for only one test. Rats that were maintained on high calcium drinking water showed increased open-field behavior of ambulation (20.68%) and rearing (64.57%). On the hole-board, calcium-supplemented animals showed increased head-dip (67%) and head-dipping (126%), suggesting increased ambulatory and exploratory behavior. The time of social interaction was normal in animals maintained on drinking water containing added calcium. Rats supplemented with calcium and submitted to elevated plus-maze tests showed a normal status of anxiety and elevated locomotor activity. We conclude that elevated levels of calcium enhance motor and exploratory behavior of rats without inducing other behavioral alterations. These data suggest the need for a more detailed analysis of several current proposals for the use of calcium therapy in humans, for example in altered blood pressure states, bone mineral metabolism disorders in the elderly, hypocalcemic states, and athletic activities.

Behavioral effects of acute exposure to the insecticide fipronil

“…Behavioral evaluations of rats were performed using open field, hole-board, and elevated plus maze apparatus tests in which the animals were tested once without prior habituation. These experimental models were chosen for behavioural evaluation because they are used to demonstrate drug-induced central nervous system effects [20,21] and risk assessment [22]. The room for the behavioral assessment was sound-proof, temperature-controlled and, illuminated by dim red lights.…”

Some Biochemical Changes of Rat Hippocampal Slices under the Long-term Creatine Intraperitoneal Supplementation

“…In particular, we studied the intracellular content of Ca 2+ in the hippocampus of G3 rats. Godinho et al [30], on the other hand, considered correlation of behavioral parameters when the individuals were injected calcium exogenously, which, in turn, increased the ion content in brain cells. Therefore, under constant calcium quantity, NO reduction in aggressive animals might be caused not by the Ca 2+ -dependent regulation of NO-synthase, but rather, as hypothesized by some authors, by a lower translation rate for mRNA [31].…”

Efectos Sobre el Comportamiento de Ratas Wistar Tratadas con el Compuesto Fenólico DM1

“…Los comportamientos de locomoción y levantar son relacionados positivamente con las alteraciones observadas en la actividad motora y exploratoria que los animales presentan a consecuencia de un estado emocional alterado (Godinho et al, 2002).…”