Comparison of the behavior of the curly tail and CBA mouse on a neurologic scale.
ct/ct mice are a mutation of the CBA strain with a high incidence of spina bifida (SB). Because humans with SB can exhibit abnormal behavior, we compared ct/ct and CBA mice using a neurologic assessment tool. ct/ct mice are more active and engage in more climbing, and stereotypical and compulsive behavior. When stimulated during cage removal ct/ct mice react more vigorously. ct/ct mice react more vigorously to a novel stimulus, and will vigorously search for a stable surface during visual placement. In the open field ct/ct mice crossed more lines and reared more than CBA. ct/ct mice demonstrated deficient performance in a modified Morris water maze. No differences were noted for other behaviors tested. The results argue that the mutation that produces SB in ct/ct mice also alters brain structure or chemistry. This is consistent with the findings in humans where SB can produce a variety of behavioral anomalies, most notably hyperactivity, attentional disorders, learning disabilities, and developmental lags.
Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska at Kearney, 68849, USA. briner@platte.unk.edu
W
W
Briner
S
S
Peterson
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA / Q000523:psychology*; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants / Q000523:psychology*; D009043:Motor Activity; D009460:Neurologic Examination