TY - JOUR
T1 - Thermoregulatory behavior in infant Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and Syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)
T2 - Arousal, orientation, and locomotion
AU - Sokoloff, Greta
AU - Blumberg, Mark S.
AU - Boline, Elizabeth A.
AU - Johnson, Eric D.
AU - Streeper, Necole
PY - 2002/9
Y1 - 2002/9
N2 - The responses of 2- and 8-day-old rats (Rattus norvegicus) and hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) to thermal stimulation were assessed in 4 experiments. In Experiment 1, the surface underlying the pup was cooled, and the latency to escape to a region of warmth was measured. Experiment 2 required pups to locomote farther to gain access to warmth. Experiment 3 was similar to Experiment 1 except the underlying surface was heated. Finally, in Experiment 4, locomotor behavior was assessed during isothermal cooling in which there was no possibility for escape. In general, hamsters exhibited more rapid and robust responses to thermal stimulation than rats. A framework for interpreting these results is presented emphasizing how differences in locomotor and thermogenic capabilities influence thermoregulatory behavior under different task conditions.
AB - The responses of 2- and 8-day-old rats (Rattus norvegicus) and hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) to thermal stimulation were assessed in 4 experiments. In Experiment 1, the surface underlying the pup was cooled, and the latency to escape to a region of warmth was measured. Experiment 2 required pups to locomote farther to gain access to warmth. Experiment 3 was similar to Experiment 1 except the underlying surface was heated. Finally, in Experiment 4, locomotor behavior was assessed during isothermal cooling in which there was no possibility for escape. In general, hamsters exhibited more rapid and robust responses to thermal stimulation than rats. A framework for interpreting these results is presented emphasizing how differences in locomotor and thermogenic capabilities influence thermoregulatory behavior under different task conditions.
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U2 - 10.1037/0735-7036.116.3.228
DO - 10.1037/0735-7036.116.3.228
M3 - Article
C2 - 12234072
AN - SCOPUS:85047670776
SN - 0735-7036
VL - 116
SP - 228
EP - 239
JO - Journal of Comparative Psychology
JF - Journal of Comparative Psychology
IS - 3
ER -