Preliminary report of a new rodent separation model of depression

Phodopus sungorus, the Siberian dwarf hamster, exhibits an unusual set of behavioral changes when the members of a male-female pair bond are separated. Quantification of these behaviors reveals a significant increase in body weight, decrease in social interactions, and decrease in exploratory behaviors, predominantly in separated males. Preliminary data on antidepressant treatments to reverse the separation syndrome, and on neurochemical changes during the separation period, are presented. Separation of pair-bonded Siberian dwarf hamsters may provide a new animal model for depression, incorporating the practical advantages of a rodent model with the conceptual advantages of a naturalistic life event precipitant.