title: A simple behavioral paradigm to measure impulsive behavior in an animal model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) of the spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: Impulsiveness is an important component of many psychiatric disorders including Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although the neurobiological basis of ADHD is unresolved, behavioral tests in animal models have become indispensable tools for improving our understanding of this disorder. In the punishment/extinction paradigm, impulsivity is shown by subjects that persevere with responding despite punishment or unrewarded responses. Exploiting this principle, we developed a new behavioral test that would evaluate impulsivity in the most validated animal model of ADHD of the Spontaneously Hypertensive rat (SHR) as compared with the normotensive "control" strain, the Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY). In this paradigm we call the Electro-Foot Shock aversive water Drinking test (EFSDT), water-deprived rats should pass over an electrified quadrant of the EFSDT apparatus to drink water. We reasoned that impulsive animals show increased frequency to drink water even with the presentation of an aversive consequence (electro-shock). Through this assay, we showed that the SHR was more impulsive than the WKY as it demonstrated more "drinking attempts" and drinking frequency. Methylphenidate, the most widely used ADHD medication, significantly reduced drinking frequency of both SHR and WKY in the EFSDT. Thus, the present assay may be considered as another behavioral tool to measure impulsivity in animal disease models, especially in the context of ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuroscience Research, IBST and School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701.
authors.forename: Pitna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Inha
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ike Campomayor Dela
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Pena
authors.forename: Hee Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung Ja
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jin Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seol-Heui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Chan Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shin
keywords: ADHD; Impulsivity; Methylphenidate; SHR; WKY