How domestication and selective breeding changed the cerebellar anatomy and play partner preference in rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Domestication has led to many changes in how animals look, behave, and physiology. With time, selective breeding has added to these changes, creating different breeds and strains with their own traits. The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a good example of this process, as laboratory rats were shaped by generations of breeding, and now show clear differences from wild rats. Here, we examined how domestication and selective breeding differentially affect: 1) cerebellar anatomy; and 2) play partner preferences. Using stereology, we compared cerebellar volumes, layer volumes, and Purkinje cell sizes and numbers in Long Evans (LE), Sprague-Dawley (SD), and wild rats. LE rats had larger cerebella but smaller Purkinje cells, while SD rats overlapped with wild rats in most measures. We also tested play behaviour in groups formed by LEs, SDs and Fischer 344 (F344) rats. We found that LE rats preferred playing with their own strain and with SD rats. Both LE and SD rats, however, consistently avoided playing with the F344s. These findings demonstrate that domestication produces a mosaic of neurobehavioural changes rather than uniform changes. We highlight the need for strain-specific approaches in neuroscience research and propose future studies comparing F344 cerebellar anatomy and olfactory influences on partner choice.

Authors

• Waner Mariquito, Renata
• University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science

• selective breeding
• cerebellar anatomy
• partner preference
• Rattus norvegicus
• neurobehavioural changes

Identifier

hdl:10133/7109

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opus.uleth.ca:10133/7109