Compulsive behavior in the 5-HT2C receptor knockout mouse.
The efficacy of serotonergic pharmacotherapy indicates that serotonin (5-HT) plays a role in the treatment, if not the etiology, of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While some clinical evidence implicates 5-HT(2C) receptors in this disorder, a definitive function has yet to be validated. We hypothesized that 5-HT(2C) receptor knockout (KO) mice may display compulsive-like behavior. This paper describes characterization of several distinct, highly organized behaviors in mice lacking functional 5-HT(2C) receptors, which supports a compulsive-like syndrome.Compulsive-like behavior was assessed in male 5-HT(2C) receptor KO and wildtype (WT) mice. Chewing of non-nutritive clay, chewing patterns on plastic-mesh screens, and the frequency of head dipping were measured. 5-HT(2C) receptor KO mice chewed more clay, produced a distinct pattern of "neat" chewing of plastic screens and exhibited reduced habituation of head dipping activity compared to WT mice. We conclude that the 5-HT(2C) receptor null mutant mouse provides a promising model of compulsive behavior and a means to further explore the role of 5-HT in OCD.
Chou-Green
Jennifer M
JM
Department of Physiology, University of California-San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0444, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Holscher
Todd D
TD
Dallman
Mary F
MF
Akana
Susan F
SF
D000818:Animals; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D004435:Eating / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005838:Genotype; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D008409:Mastication / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D044405:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
D044405:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C