The experiment was designed to examine whether the relationship between anxiety level and social behavior depends on sex in animal model of individual differences (Roman RHA/RLA rats). Hyperemotional RLA and hypoemotional RHA males and females were subjected to a set of nonsocial (OF, EPM) and social tests. Females were tested during selected phase of ovary cycle – estrus or diestrus. Social settings ranged from low aversive – Social Affiliation/Recognition Test (SART / three chamber test) through mildly stressful social interactions (SI) to highly stressful Resident-Intruder paradigm (RI – males only). Between-line differences in emotional reactivity in nonsocial situations were observed both in males and females. The character of social interactions differs between RLA and RHA and between males and females. In SART RHA males explored more than RLA, without any preference toward the social stimulus. RLA males preferred to stay in the compartment containing unknown rat, although during SI and RI they avoided contacts. Females in SART exhibited no between lines differences and displayed significant preference toward social stimulus while during SI test differences between lines were observed. In all tests the influence of ovary cycle was insignificant. Our results suggest that the relation between anxiety level and social behavior is not linear and is gender specific.
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