Effect of Environmental Factors on Depressive-like Behavior and Memory Function in Adolescent Rats

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of environmental factors on depressive-like behavior and memory function during adolescence. We performed behavior tests in adolescent rats exposed to environmental enrichment, handling, and social deprivation for eight weeks. Methods: Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control, environmental enrichment, handling, and social deprivation groups at the age of four weeks. Results: In the forced swim test, the immobility time in the environmental enrichment group was decreased than that in the control group (p=.038), while the immobility time in the social deprivation group was increased than that in the control group (p=.035), the environmental enrichment group (p