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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

The Treadmill Fatigue Test: A Simple, High-throughput Assay of Fatigue-like Behavior for the Mouse
Published on: May 31, 2016
Kari A Martin1, Lois E Krahn, Vijayan Balan
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, 13400 East Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA. martin.kariann@mayo.edu
Abstract:
Interferon (IFN) is an effective agent in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis C. A variety of adverse neuropsychiatric effects including anxiety, depression, delirium, psychoses, and mania complicates its usage. IFN-alpha-induced depression is presumed to be composed of two overlapping syndromes: a depression-specific syndrome characterized by depressed mood, anxiety, and cognitive complaints, and a neurovegetative syndrome consisting of fatigue, anorexia, somatic pain complaints, and psychomotor retardation [1]. Our results show that depression-specific symptoms peak at 12 weeks of IFN therapy and respond well to serotoninergic antidepressants [2]. We conclude that neurovegetative symptoms are relatively treatment refractory to antidepressants, occur early in the course of treatment, and tend to persist for the duration of therapy [1].
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