Long Range Correlations in the Walking Pattern of Japanese Quails Exposed to Diazepam and FG7142

KEMBRO, J. M.; PERILLO, M. A.; MARIN, R. H.

La Cumbre, Córdoba

Jornada; Primer escuela Argentina de Matemática y Biología; 2005

Programa Argentino Biomat, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba

Long Range Correlations in the Walking Pattern of Japanese Quails Exposed to Diazepam and FG7142 Jackelyn M. Kembro, Mara A. Perillo, Raul H. Marn FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba Long-range correlations in behavioural time series have been well documented. However, no study has evaluated whether they are present, nor if they are altered when animals are exposed to anxiolytic or anxiogenic drugs. The present work evaluates the walking patterns of female Japanese quails in their home pen after administration of Diazepam (0.2 and 0.5mg/kg), FG7142 (1mg/kg) or Vehicle. Long-range autocorrelations were observed when time series were analyzed with Detrended Fluctuation Analysis. Birds treated with Vehicle and Diazepam 0.2mg/kg showed monofractal behavior in 78% and 67% of birds, respectively. Window sizes cut-o >60 seconds were found in the rest of the quails. Diazepam 0.5mg/kg and FG7142, showed not only cases with monofractal behavior or with a cut-o point, but also some multifractal cases (33% and 22% respectively). In all treatments an a = 0:731  0:015 was observed for window sizes < 60 seconds. When the size distribution of the time length spent not walking was analyzed, a power law distribution was observed in all treatments. FG7142 and Diazepam 0.5 mg/kg had signi cantly more negative scaling factor than Vehicle and Diazepam 0.2 mg/kg. A negative correlation between the time spent walking and the scaling factor was found which may explain the dierences observed between groups. alfa = 0:731  0:015 was observed for window sizes < 60 seconds. When the size distribution of the time length spent not walking was analyzed, a power law distribution was observed in all treatments. FG7142 and Diazepam 0.5 mg/kg had signi cantly more negative scaling factor than Vehicle and Diazepam 0.2 mg/kg. A negative correlation between the time spent walking and the scaling factor was found which may explain the dierences observed between groups. Include here the text of the abstract. alfa = 0:731  0:015 was observed for window sizes < 60 seconds. When the size distribution of the time length spent not walking was analyzed, a power law distribution was observed in all treatments. FG7142 and Diazepam 0.5 mg/kg had signi cantly more negative scaling factor than Vehicle and Diazepam 0.2 mg/kg. A negative correlation between the time spent walking and the scaling factor was found which may explain the dierences observed between groups. Include here the text of the abstract.