Table 1 Forced exposure studies specifying delivery methods, concentration or flow rate used, strain and sex, whether the study contained baseline and well-defined behavioral categories, and a summary of results.

From: Understanding rat emotional responses to CO2

Strain

Delivery method

Concentration/flow rate

Sex

Baseline or control

Defined behaviors

Results

Reference

W

Gf

~17%

M

↑ line crossing (locomotor activity), ↑ rearing, ↑ nose to lid, ↑ escape behaviors, and ↑ ultrasonic vocalizations (mean range 22 ± 19 kHz)

6

W

Gf

17%

M

↑ line crossing (locomotor activity; 50% of the rats), ↑ rearing, ↑ nose to lid, ↑ escape behaviors (60% of the rats)

7

W

Pf

10%

↔ in freezing/immobility, ↔ rearing

32

W

Pf

>97%

M/F

Vague

↓ wall touching, ↑ wall climbing (rearing), ↔ vocalizationsa

9

W

Pf

100%

M

↓ normal behavior, ↑ behavioral agitation and excitation, ↓ immobility/freezing, ↑ signs of asphyxia

3

SD

Gf

10%

M

↔ line crossing (locomotor activity), ↔ rearing, ↔ escape behaviors

29

SD

GF

~18%

F

↑ line crossing (locomotor activity), ↑ rearing, ↔ escape behaviors, ↔ freezing/immobility

27

SD

Gfa

20%

M

Telemetric recordings

↑ locomotor activity, ↔ freezing/immobility

24

SD

Gfa

20%

M

↑ freezing /immobility

30

SD

Gf

23%

M

↑ line crossing, ↑ rearing

28

SD

Gf

30%

F

↑ ultrasonic vocalizations (median range 51 kHz)

2

SD

Gf

High but undefined

M

↑ wall climbing (rearing), ↑ activity, ↑ shaking (undefined), ↔ ultrasonic vocalizations

26

SD

Gf

30%

M/F

↑ rearing, ↔ jumping, ↔ diggingb

33

SD

Pf

10%

↔ freezing/immobility and ↓ rearing

32

SD

Pf

~75%

M

Vague

↔ signs of distress, ↔ vocalization, ↔ escape behaviors, ↔ tail lashing

31

LE

Gf

High but undefined

M

↔ wall climbing (rearing), ↓ activity, ↑ shaking (undefined), ↔ ultrasonic vocalizations

26

LE

Pf

10%

↑ freezing/immobility and ↓ rearing

32

F

Gf

35%c

M

↑ interest and curiosity, ↔ vocalizations, ↔ signs of pain

10

WK

Pf

10%

↑ freezing/immobility, ↔ rearing

32

P-rat

Gf

 

M/F

 

35

10%

↔ rearing, ↔ rearing (5 in), ↔ rearing (7 in), ↔rearing (5 in/rear)d

30%

↑ rearing, ↔ rearing (5 in), ↔ rearing (7 in), ↔rearing (5 in/rear)d

70%

↔ rearing, ↔ rearing (5 in), ↔ rearing (7 in), ↑rearing (5 in/rear)d

  1. Strain: W Wistar, SD Sprague Dawley, LE Long Evans, WK Wistar Kyoto, F Fisher, BN Brown Norway, P-rat alcohol preferring rats; delivery method: Pf pre-fill, Gl gradual fill, GFa 20% CO2 challenge; concentration or flow rate: static concentration (%) or flow rate (% CO2 chamber vol. min−1); sex: M male, F female, ✗ unspecified; baseline: present, ✗ absent; defined behaviors: if a clear ethogram, vague if an unclear ethogram, ✗ absent; results: ↑ increase, ↓ decrease, ↔ no change in behavior or absent.
  2. aWithin the same study, two different results were found depending upon age: for young rats no change in activity but increase in stationary episodes, while old rats decreased both activity and stationary episodes. These authors concluded arrived to the same conclusion for both young and old rats.
  3. bBehavior when exposed to CO2 in an induction chamber in comparison to exposure in the rat home cage.
  4. cFlow rate was given as 6 l/min−1 and cage size unspecified, calculations were made based on the brand and type of the cage (Makrolon type III = ~17.2).
  5. dComparison between flow rates.