Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 20, 2026

The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task: A Task of Attention and Impulse Control for Rodents
Published on: August 10, 2014
Atomoxetine reduces hyperactive/impulsive behaviours in neurokinin-1 receptor 'knockout' mice
Katharine Pillidge1, Ashley J Porter1, Temis Vasili1
1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
Background:
Mice with functional ablation of the neurokinin-1 receptor gene (NK1R(-/-)) display behavioural abnormalities which resemble the hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity seen in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Here, we investigated whether the established ADHD treatment, atomoxetine, alleviates these abnormalities when tested in the light/dark exploration box (LDEB) and 5-Choice Serial Reaction-Time Task (5-CSRTT).
Methods:
Separate cohorts of mice were tested in the 5-CSRTT and LDEB after treatment with no injection, vehicle or atomoxetine (5-CSRTT: 0.3, 3 or 10mg/kg; LDEB: 1, 3 or 10mg/kg).
Results:
Atomoxetine reduced the hyperactivity displayed by NK1R(-/-) mice in the LDEB at a dose (3mg/kg) which did not affect the locomotor activity of wildtypes. Atomoxetine (10mg/kg) also reduced impulsivity in NK1R(-/-) mice, but not wildtypes, in the 5-CSRTT. No dose of drug affected attention in either genotype.
Conclusions:
This evidence that atomoxetine reduces hyperactive/impulsive behaviours in NK1R(-/-) mice consolidates the validity of using NK1R(-/-) mice in research of the aetiology and treatment of ADHD.
Related Concept Videos
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis
Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral...
Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

