The Effects Of Monosodium Glutamate On The Open Field Locomotor Activities In Adult Wistar Rats

The effects of Monosodium glutamate (MSG) commonly used as food additive, on the open field locomotors activities of adult Wistar rats were carefully studied. The rats of both sexes (n=24), average weight of 185g were randomly assigned into two treatments (n=16) and control (n=8) groups. The rats in the treatment groups received 0.04mg/kg and 0.08mg/kg of MSG thoroughly mixed with their feeds for fourteen days, while the control rats received equal amounts of feeds without MSG added. The rats were fed with growers' mash purchased from Edo Feeds and Flour Mill Ltd, Ewu, Edo State and were given water liberally. The rats were taken from their home cages and placed randomly into one of the four corners of the open field, facing the centre and allowed to explore the apparatus for 5minutes as the various behavioral scores were measured. The findings indicates that there was a significant difference (P<0.05) in the frequencies of line crossing, walling, grooming and hinding between the two treatments and control groups.