The origins of individual differences in skilled reaching for food in rats

Abstract

Rats display considerable individual differences in performance of skilled reaching for food. Such variability in the normal performance of the rats intrudes upon the interpretation of many different experimental investigations in behavioral neuroscience. Understanding the origins of individual differences in skilled reaching performance of the rat provides insights into brain function, the evolution of skilled reaching, and also it helps optimizing preventative and therapeutic care. Although variability in skilled reaching is manifested in many studies, their origins remain poorly understood. The objective of the present thesis was to document the individual differences in skilled reaching for food in rats and to examine potential sources of individual differences in brain function. The present studies revealed that the difference in reaching success displayed by rats was a robust and constant feature in different conditions, emerged with practice and the motor cortex plays an important role in such variability