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[Abnormal behavior induced by thiamine deficiency in rats: muricide and its behavioral and pharmacological
1Department of Pharmacology, Tohoku University School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan.
Abstract:
When rats were maintained on a thiamine-deficient diet for 30 days, about 70% of the animals showed a mouse-killing response (muricide). The thiamine-deficient killer-rats do not eat but merely killed the mice. Once this abnormal behavior appeared, the response remained, and could not be suppressed by the administration of thiamine hydrochloride plus thiamine-supplemented diet, regardless of a return to normal feeding, growth and heart rate. Drugs that activate the central serotonergic and noradrenergic systems have suppressive effects on it. Conversely, among the various depletions of brain monoamines, only depletion of serotonin by the drug p-chlorophenylalanine significantly increased the incidence of muricide. Antihistaminergic drugs were potently effective, but atropine, an anticholinergic drug, were ineffective. Various antidepressants and electroconvulsive shock treatment also suppressed muricide to various degrees. Thus, it is expected that the muricide induced by thiamine deficiency may be useful as an animal model of depression, although the usefulness of this abnormal behavior as a working model of depression or for screening new antidepressants remains to be evaluated.
Insights
Thiamine deficiency in rats induced a persistent mouse-killing behavior (muricide). This behavior was suppressed by drugs affecting serotonin and noradrenaline systems, suggesting potential as a depression model.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Thiamine deficiency is linked to neurological and behavioral changes.
- Muricide (mouse-killing) is an abnormal predatory behavior observed in some animal models.
- Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of induced behaviors is crucial for developing relevant models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the induction and characteristics of muricide in rats due to thiamine deficiency.
- To explore the effects of neurochemical manipulations on thiamine-deficiency-induced muricide.
- To evaluate the potential of this model for studying depression and antidepressant screening.
Main Methods:
- Rats were fed a thiamine-deficient diet for 30 days to induce muricide.
- Behavioral responses were monitored, and the persistence of muricide was assessed.
- Various drugs targeting central neurotransmitter systems (serotonergic, noradrenergic, antihistaminergic, anticholinergic) were administered.
- Brain monoamine depletions were induced using specific drugs (e.g., p-chlorophenylalanine).
- The effects of antidepressants and electroconvulsive shock treatment were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Approximately 70% of rats on a thiamine-deficient diet exhibited muricide.
- The induced muricide behavior was persistent and not reversed by thiamine re-administration or nutritional recovery.
- Activation of central serotonergic and noradrenergic systems suppressed muricide.
- Serotonin depletion significantly increased muricide incidence.
- Antihistaminergic drugs were effective in suppressing muricide, while anticholinergic drugs were not.
- Antidepressants and electroconvulsive shock showed varying degrees of suppression.
Conclusions:
- Thiamine deficiency reliably induces a persistent muricide behavior in rats.
- The neurochemical profile of this induced muricide suggests a link to monoaminergic systems, particularly serotonin.
- This thiamine-deficiency-induced muricide model shows promise for investigating depression and screening novel antidepressant therapies, though further validation is needed.