title: HD mouse models reveal clear deficits in learning to perform a simple instrumental response.
abstract: Mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD) were trained to acquire one of two simple instrumental responses (a lever press or a nosepoke) to obtain food reinforcement. Animals from several HD strains revealed apparently progressive deficits in this task, being significantly less able than littermate controls to perform the required responses, at ages where motor function is only mildly affected. These data could provide a simple way to measure learning deficits in these mouse models, likely related to the characteristic pattern of neural damage observed in HD mouse models.
authors.affiliation: Principal Scientist at PsychoGenics, Inc.;  Research Associate at PsychoGenics Inc;  Breeding Manager at PsychoGenics, Inc.;  VP, Neurodegenerative Disorders at PsychoGenics, Inc;  Director, PreClinical Research, CHDI Foundation, Inc;  Director of In Vivo Biology, CHDI Foundation Inc and  Senior VP Behavioral R&D at PsychoGenics, Inc.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oakeshott
authors.forename: Russell G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Port
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cummins-Sutphen
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watson-Johnson
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramboz
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Howland
authors.forename: Dani
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brunner