Peri-adolescence isolation rearing alters social behavior and nociception in rats

Social isolation results in fundamental behavioral abnormalities in rodents which models certain neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. However, the developmental stage that is most vulnerable to social isolation is largely unknown. In the present study, we subjected weaning rats to a four-week peri-adolescence isolation rearing (PAIR) and then returned them to social rearing for an additional four weeks until adulthood. Open field locomotion, social interaction behavior, and acute pain sensitivity were examined at different time points. PAIR rats showed moderate hyperactivity towards a novel environment, an anxiogenic-like behavioral profile, and increased aggression and social interaction behavior, the last three of which could be restored by re-socialization procedure. In addition, PAIR animals showed significantly reduced pain sensitivity even after the re-socialization period. In summary, this study advances the use of pen-adolescent isolation rearing as an animal model to study neurodevelopmental manipulation induced behavioral abnormalities. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved