Effect of food restriction, food deprivation and food inequality on anxiety-like behavior in rats

Findings represent the role of social stress in aging, disease and mortality of individuals. Since the body responses to environmental stress by anxiety behaviors, in this study we compare the effects of "food restriction", "food deprivation" and "social inequality" on anxiety-like behaviors. 48 male rats were divided into 6 groups including “control”, “food restriction;40% reduction of food intake;beeing able to sense other’s feeding(inequality)”, “food restriction keeping in isolated place (without inequality)”, “intermitant food restriction”, “food deprivation; 70% reduction in food intake; beeing able to sense other’s feeding(inequality)”, and “food deprivation keeping in isolated place (without inequality)”. Different enviromental stresses was applied during three weeks. At the end of stress period anxiety behavior was measured by elevated plus maze(EPM) test. Results and The duration and frequency of open arm entries in food deprivation groups had a significant increase and in food restriction groups had a significant decrease compared to the control group.Combination of Increasing activity of the animals with anxiety during Dietry restriction along with food inequality represent the effort conditions of animals for improvement. Food deprivation reduces activity, especially when is combined with the feeling of inequality that can be considered as the probable role of social inequality in manifestation of a “learned helplessness” situation