University of Wisconsin Milwaukee UWM Digital Commons Theses and Dissertations May 2016 The ffecE ts of Fastigial Nuclei Inactivation on Social Behavior in the Rat Vienna Behnke University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.uwm.edu/etd Part of the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Behnke, Vienna, "The Effects of Fastigial Nuclei Inactivation on Social Behavior in the Rat" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 1115. https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/1115 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by UWM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UWM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. THE EFFECTS OF FASTIGIAL NUCLEI INACTIVATION ON SOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN THE RAT by Vienna K. Behnke A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Psychology at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee May 2016 ABSTRACT THE EFFECTS OF FASTIGIAL NUCLEI INACTIVATION ON SOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN THE RAT by Vienna K. Behnke The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2016 Under the Supervision of Professor Rodney A. Swain Research has implicated the cerebellar deep nuclei in autism. This study questioned whether fastigial nuclei damage accounts for abnormal social behaviors seen in autism. Bilateral cannulation surgery was performed on 13 rats. An ABABAB reversal design was implemented. All animals received a microinfusion of saline during the A phases (baseline). Social interactions were tested using a social interaction chamber and an open field. Seven animals received microinfusions of bupivacaine in the B phase (treatment), which temporarily inactivated the fastigial nuclei.