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Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Published on: January 9, 2015
Strain differences in 'compulsive' lever-pressing
Lior Brimberg1, Shlomit Flaisher-Grinberg, Eduardo A Schilman
1Department of Psychology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
Behavioural Brain Research
|February 27, 2007
Summary
Lewis rats exhibit higher compulsive behaviors and resistance to anti-compulsive drugs compared to Sprague Dawley and Wistar rats in a validated animal model. This suggests Lewis rats may be a valuable model for studying obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Pharmacology
- Animal Models of Disease
Background:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health condition.
- The signal attenuation rat model is used to study compulsive behaviors.
- Lewis rats have shown tendencies towards addictive and compulsive behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if Lewis rats exhibit increased compulsivity in the signal attenuation model.
- To compare the behavioral responses of Lewis, Sprague Dawley, and Wistar rats to signal attenuation.
- To assess the efficacy of the anti-compulsive drug paroxetine in Lewis and Sprague Dawley rats.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the signal attenuation rat model to induce compulsive behavior.
- Compared lever-pressing behavior and resistance to paroxetine across Lewis, Sprague Dawley, and Wistar rat strains.
- Administered paroxetine to assess its anti-compulsive effects.
Main Results:
- Lewis rats displayed significantly higher levels of compulsive lever-pressing compared to Sprague Dawley and Wistar rats.
- Lewis rats exhibited greater resistance to the anti-compulsive effects of paroxetine.
- Strain differences in serotonergic and dopaminergic systems may underlie these behavioral variations.
Conclusions:
- Lewis rats are more susceptible to developing compulsive behaviors in the signal attenuation model.
- Lewis rats represent a potentially valuable genetic model for studying OCD pathophysiology and pharmacotherapy.
- Further research into neurochemical differences may elucidate mechanisms of compulsivity.
