A behavioral profile of bilateral anophthalmic mutant rats.

A behavioral profile of hereditary bilateral anophthalmic mutant rat was studied in different light: dark schedules. The control and mutant rats were acclimatized to either a) a 12h light:12h dark cycle or b) continuous darkness or c) continuous illumination. The measurements of spontaneous motor activity with Opto Varimex and behavioral despair in a swim test were conducted. The daily food consumption and plasma glucose levels were also measured. The study indicated that, unlike the control rats, mutants did not exhibit any time dependent change in the spontaneous motor activity in any of the three different lighting conditions. A strong biphasic feeding burst was also not affected by anophthalmia in mutant rats. Our findings on spontaneous motor activity and the feeding pattern are contrary to those in the existing literature.