title: Consideration of the relevance of ethological animal models for human repetitive behavioral spectrum disorders.
abstract: Treatment successes of various stereotyped behaviors in animals and humans has renewed interest in ethologic animal models for the study of psychiatric disorders. This report presents another such behavior occurring in horses to weaving. This anomalous, repetitive, and purposeless behavior draws analogies to human compulsive spectrum behaviors. A "weaver" provided an opportunity to evaluate serotonin, dopamine, and opioid neurotransmitter system contributions by probing each with a selective agent in A-B-A-C-A-D design. The horse was treated in sequential 1-month periods separated by 1-month washouts with a serotonin transport inhibitor (SRI), opiate antagonist (OA), and neuroleptic (DA). Videotape was taken weekly and analyzed by two blind raters. Frequency of head swings, latency to onset, and severity were recorded. The SRI showed > 95% symptom reduction, the DA 40%, and OA 30%. The findings suggest that neurochemical explanations of disturbance based on single drug vs. placebo trials may be oversimplified. Multiple-system probes are needed to dissect complex interactive biological systems. Animal model research can have an important role in such investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, USA.
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Nurnberg
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Paxton
mesh_terms: D000075:Acepromazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005010:Ethology; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000502:physiology*; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000075:Acepromazine; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D004298:Dopamine; D009271:Naltrexone; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D017374:Paroxetine; D012701:Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors