Running Activity of Weanling Rats under Food or Water Deprivation

Abstract

Two groups of 1 0 weanling rats were placed in running wheels and terminally deprived of either food or water. No significant differences in the amounts of running between groups were observed. However, the food-deprived animals showed significantly greater weight losses and survived for a shorter period. The contention that young animals characteristically show different activity patterns as a consequence of food or water deprivation was not supported.

Effects of insulin on spontaneous activity during food deprivation.

“…Numerous studies have demonstrated that food deprivation increases locomotor activity of rats in a variety of activitymeasuring devices (e.g., Campbell, 1964;Treichler & Feeney, 1965). Several physiological factors have been invoked to account for this increase, but thus far no discrete physiological change has been identified as the primary substrate for deprivation-induced increases in activity (cf.…”