[Maternal behavior of WAG/Rij strain rats in normal conditions and during intervention in the activity of dopaminergic brain system] [Russian]

Lactating dams of WAG/Rij and Wistar rat strains were repeatedly placed on the "open field" arena with their pups (4-9 postnatal days). In these conditions WAG/Rij rats showed significantly poorer maternal behavior and were slower in forming pup location response. These results add to the notion of disorders in the activity of the nervous system of WAG/Rij rats (as genetic models for absence epilepsy). Administration of Haloperidol in a low dose (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) reduced the motor activity ofdams of both strains and maternal behavior under conditions of bright illumination. Under conditions of red-light illumination, haloperidol increased the number of approaches to the pups and the number of their transportations in WAG/Rij (but not Wistar) rats and reduced the latencies of the behavioral reactions. It is suggested that dopaminergic regulation of maternal behavior depends on both genetic (strain differences) and environmental (illumination conditions) factors.