Rj. Rodgers et al., RESISTANCE OF EXPERIENTIALLY-INDUCED CHANGES IN MURINE PLUS-MAZE BEHAVIOR TO ALTERED RETEST CONDITIONS, Behavioural brain research, 86(1), 1997, pp. 71-77
Prior exposure to the elevated plus-maze results in profound behaviour
al alterations in rats and mice, with 24 h retest profiles indicative
of fear sensitization. The present study was designed to examine the i
nfluence of retest cues on this phenomenon in male DBA/2 mice. Results
confirmed the potent influence of prior maze experience on subsequent
behavioural patterns, and showed that this was not affected by manipu
lations of extra-maze cues (90 degrees re-orientation of the maze or u
se of a different laboratory) on Trial 2. Data are discussed in relati
on to experientially-induced shifts in behavioural strategy and the ap
parent involvement of simple proximal cues (probably thigmotactic) in
this enduring and adaptive form of spatial learning. (C) 1997 Elsevier
Science B.V.