Vasopressin-dependent flank marking in golden hamsters is suppressed by drugs used in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
BACKGROUND
Alterations in arginine vasopressin regulation and secretion have been proposed as one possible biochemical abnormality in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. In golden hamsters, arginine vasopressin microinjections into the anterior hypothalamus trigger robust grooming and flank marking, a stereotyped scent marking behaviors. The intensity and repetition of the behaviors induced by arginine vasopressin is somewhat reminiscent of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in humans. The present experiments were carried out to test whether pharmacological agents used to alleviate obsessive compulsive disorder could inhibit arginine vasopressin-induced flank marking and grooming.


RESULTS
Male golden hamsters were treated daily for two weeks with either vehicle, fluoxetine, clomipramine, or desipramine (an ineffective drug), before being tested for arginine vasopressin-induced flank marking and grooming. Flank marking was significantly inhibited in animals treated with fluoxetine or clomipramine but unaffected by treatment with desipramine. Grooming behavior was not affected by any treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that arginine vasopressin-induced flank marking may serve as an animal model for screening drugs used in the control of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Ferris
C F
CF
Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester 01655, USA. craig.ferris@umassmed.edu
Rasmussen
M F
MF
Messenger
T
T
Koppel
G
G
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002997:Clomipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006224:Cricetinae; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006120:Grooming / Q000187:drug effects; D006197:Hair / Q000502:physiology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D002997:Clomipramine; D003891:Desipramine; D005473:Fluoxetine; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors