Effects of electrical stimulation or lesion in nucleus accumbens on the behaviour of rats in a T-maze after administration of 8-OH-DPAT or vehicle.
Electrical brain stimulation may be a therapeutic alternative for irreversible lesions in treatment-resistant patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We compared the effects of electrical stimulation and lesion in the nucleus accumbens (n acc) on the behaviour of rats in a model for OCD. Rats were tested for spontaneous alternation behaviour (AB) in a T-maze and assigned to four groups: an electrode implant group with stimulation 'ON' (stimON) or 'OFF' (stimOFF), a lesion or a sham group. Postoperatively, the number of arm visits and AB were tested after 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)-tetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT; 2 mg/kg) or saline administration. After 8-OH-DPAT administration, more arm visits were counted in the stimON (92.2%) and lesion groups (79.3%) than in both control groups (stimOFF 54.2; sham 61.2%). AB was significantly decreased in the stimON (10.5%) and lesion groups (10.2%) relative to the sham (22.0%) but not to the stimOFF group (14.7%). After saline administration, rats performed more arm visits in the stimON (81.5% non-significant) and lesion groups (93.6% significant) relative to the stimOFF (70.8%) and the sham groups (74.5%). No significant differences, however, were observed for AB. In conclusion, both treatments resulted in a decreased AB after 8-OH-DPAT administration (modelling an increase in compulsions) and more arm visits.
van Kuyck
Kris
K
Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy, Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, K.U. Leuven Provisorium 1, Minderbroedersstraat 17, Belgium.
Demeulemeester
Hilde
H
Feys
Hilde
H
De Weerdt
Willy
W
Dewil
Maarten
M
Tousseyn
Thomas
T
De Sutter
Paul
P
Gybels
Jan
J
Bogaerts
Kris
K
Dom
Rene
R
Nuttin
Bart
B
D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin