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Behavioral Inhibition in Rodents: A Model to Study Causes and Health Consequences of Temperament

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Behavioral Inhibition

Abstract

Behavioral inhibition (BI), a trait related to fearful temperament and withdrawal/avoidance of novelty, is an important predictor of adult health trajectories. However, specific mechanisms underlying this temperament-health relation are poorly understood. In order to model underlying physiological and developmental processes associated with behavioral inhibition to identify causal mechanisms for specific health trajectories, we developed a rodent model of early emerging behavioral inhibition. This behavioral trait of low exploration has been documented in many species and represents a relatively basic behavioral phenotype, which supports the goal of developing a non-human animal model. In this chapter, I review the behavioral and physiological characteristics of the rodent behavioral inhibition model, with an eye toward identifying biological mechanisms that may bias behaviorally inhibited individuals toward certain health trajectories. In addition, I review information on developmental correlates and influences on behavioral inhibition, with an eye toward identifying and testing interesting social and environmental interventions that could minimize health biases. I complete the chapter with a discussion of areas of future research with a rodent behavioral inhibition model.

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Acknowledgments

Many students and colleagues have contributed to the studies summarized in this current chapter. In particular, I want to acknowledge the work of three former graduate students: Kerry C. Michael, Christina M. Ragan, and Michael J. Caruso for their dedicated work in developing, troubleshooting, and perfecting physiological methods to assess neurobiological, cardiovascular, and immunological processes. In addition, many undergraduate students contributed to this work, with special thanks to Ryan Moser and Alex Bruscke for cardiovascular work, Catherine Barrett for maternal behavior work, Colleen Kovacsics for life-span work, Jason Gillon for corticosterone supplementation work, Sammy Leathers and LaDara Godbolt for behavioral and immunity work, and Kevin Fomalont and Brian Coleman for brain receptor work. Characterization of the behavioral inhibition phenotype in rodents would not have been possible without their persistence and contributions. Finally, I thank Martha K. McClintock who supported initial work in this arena; her scientific generosity, both intellectual and financial, supported the genesis of many of the ideas presented in this chapter. 

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  1. Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Sonia A. Cavigelli

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  1. Sonia A. Cavigelli
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Correspondence to Sonia A. Cavigelli .

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  1. Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Koraly Pérez-Edgar

  2. Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Nathan A. Fox

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Cavigelli, S.A. (2018). Behavioral Inhibition in Rodents: A Model to Study Causes and Health Consequences of Temperament. In: Pérez-Edgar, K., Fox, N. (eds) Behavioral Inhibition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98077-5_3

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