Abstract
Marble-burying behavior in rodents has been used commonly as an animal model of compulsive and/or anxiety behavior. The purpose of this study was to further assess the adequacy of marble burying as a preclinical animal model of compulsive behaviors using pharmacological tools. In particular, we were interested in whether dopamine D2/D3 agonists (e.g. pramipexole) known to produce compulsive behaviors in humans would increase marble burying. The effects of pramipexole on marble-burying behavior and locomotor activity were compared with those of the following: diazepam, a drug known to decrease marble burying; D-amphetamine, a stimulant that increases locomotor activity; and methyl β-carboline-3-carboxylate, a β-carboline previously shown to produce anxiogenic effects in rodents. All drugs produced dose-dependent decreases in marble burying, which were not always related to the locomotor effects of these drugs. The inability of pramipexole and methyl β-carboline-3-carboxylate to increase marble burying questions the validity of this assay as an adequate animal model of compulsive and/or anxiety behavior.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 711-713 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Behavioural pharmacology |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- animal model
- anxiety
- compulsion
- dopamine agonist
- marble burying
- mouse
- pramipexole
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry and Mental health