Altering the development of the dopaminergic system through social play in rats: Implications for anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and compulsivity.

Dopamine is essential to many functions like reward, motivation, and attention; when its neural pathways do not function properly, various disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, compulsions) can arise.

"Himalayan Bridge": A New Unstable Suspended Bridge to Investigate Rodents' Venturesome Behavior.

While both risk-taking and avoidant behaviors are necessary for survival, their imbalanced expression can lead to impulse-control and anxiety disorders, respectively. In laboratory rodents, the conflict between risk proneness and anxiety can be studied by using their innate fear of heights. To explore this aspect in detail and investigate venturesome behavior, here we used a "Himalayan Bridge," a rat-adapted version of the suspended wire bridge protocol originally developed for mice.