title: Behavioral pattern analysis and dopamine release in quinpirole-induced repetitive behavior in rats.
abstract: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and disabling psychiatric disease with a lifetime prevalence of 2-3%. People with OCD suffer from intrusive, unwanted and recurrent thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive ritualistic behaviors (compulsions). The aim of this study is to quantify the dimensions of ritualistic 'compulsive-like' behavior in quinpirole-induced behavior in rats by using T-pattern behavioral analysis. In addition, we investigated whether the behavioral effects elicited by quinpirole sensitization remained after 2 weeks of cessation of treatment. Finally, to study the neurobiological underpinnings of this 'compulsive-like' behavior, we investigated the effect of quinpirole treatment on the extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. Once established, 'compulsive-like' behavior is dependent upon quinpirole administration, as this behavior rapidly normalized after cessation of treatment. After a single dose of quinpirole the dopamine level decreased more in saline pre-treated animals as compared with animals given quinpirole treatment continuously. Furthermore, T-pattern analysis revealed that quinpirole-induced behavior consists, unlike OCD rituals, of a smaller behavioral repertoire. As seen in patients with OCD, quinpirole-treated animals performed these behaviors with a high rate of repetition. These findings suggest that quinpirole-induced behavior mimics only part of the compulsive behavior as shown in OCD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Utrecht, The Netherlands. G.G.deHaas-2@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Ria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Haas
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nijdam
authors.forename: Tjalke A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Westra
authors.forename: Martien J H
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kas
authors.forename: Herman G M
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Westenberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D019257:Quinpirole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D019257:Quinpirole; D004298:Dopamine