Sex Differences in Mongolian Gerbils
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Adebisi Alao, at Canterbury Christ Church University: c.alao229@canterbury.ac.uk
Sex differences in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) in an open-field test.
Adebisi Alao
Canterbury Christ Church University
Abstract
This study was an observational study, which involved watching videos of four gerbils participating in an open field test. The study looked at sex differences in male and female gerbils, in terms of anxiety and explorative behaviour. There were two male gerbils and two female gerbils, each gerbil was observed for a period of ten minutes, to record the frequency number of line crossings, social interaction, interaction with toy and the time spent in the outer area and in the inner area. It was argued that there would be a difference in all areas of social behaviour. In general there were sex differences in gerbils and anxious behaviour. The line crossing, interaction with toy and the time spent in the inner area showed significantly that the female gerbils were more anxious but social contact and the time spent in the outer area showed significantly that the male gerbils were more anxious.
Keywords: {Gerbil, explorative, anxiety, social contact, open field test, interaction with toy}
Naturally anxiety disorders are much more prominent in women than men (Bridges & Stark, 2004). Previous research that involved rats used only males to look at anxiety levels rather than females; this was due to the oestrous cycle in female rats, which makes it difficult to find a difference between male and female anxiety rate (Bridges & Stark, 2004). Social animals such as gerbils live in family groups when living in the wild, this means living individually increases the likelihood of being stressed and even anxious (Starkey, Normington & Bridges, 2007).
Earlier studies suggested that male rodents usually show much more fearful behaviour than females in an open field
Sex differences in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) in an open-field test.
Adebisi Alao
Canterbury Christ Church University
Abstract
This study was an observational study, which involved watching videos of four gerbils participating in an open field test. The study looked at sex differences in male and female gerbils, in terms of anxiety and explorative behaviour. There were two male gerbils and two female gerbils, each gerbil was observed for a period of ten minutes, to record the frequency number of line crossings, social interaction, interaction with toy and the time spent in the outer area and in the inner area. It was argued that there would be a difference in all areas of social behaviour. In general there were sex differences in gerbils and anxious behaviour. The line crossing, interaction with toy and the time spent in the inner area showed significantly that the female gerbils were more anxious but social contact and the time spent in the outer area showed significantly that the male gerbils were more anxious.
Keywords: {Gerbil, explorative, anxiety, social contact, open field test, interaction with toy}
Naturally anxiety disorders are much more prominent in women than men (Bridges & Stark, 2004). Previous research that involved rats used only males to look at anxiety levels rather than females; this was due to the oestrous cycle in female rats, which makes it difficult to find a difference between male and female anxiety rate (Bridges & Stark, 2004). Social animals such as gerbils live in family groups when living in the wild, this means living individually increases the likelihood of being stressed and even anxious (Starkey, Normington & Bridges, 2007).
Earlier studies suggested that male rodents usually show much more fearful behaviour than females in an open field
References: Bridges, N.J., & Starkey, N.J. (2004). Sex differences in Mongolian gerbils in four tests of anxiety. Physiology & Behaviour, 83, 119-127. Starkey, N.J., Normington, G., & Bridges N.J. (2007). The effects of individual housing on anxious behaviour in male and female gerbils. Physiology & Behaviour, 90, 545-552.