Project Summary

Michael Galsworthy, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2005) of the University of Zurich, plans to study new environmental approaches to monitoring depressive-like behavior in laboratory animals. Although animals are useful to study antidepressant action, their behavior and depression-like symptoms are poorly validated. Handling of animals during procedures and testing outside of a “natural” context also reduces the ability of scientists to see all but the crudest changes. Two new arenas may provide a better assessment of behavioral markers of depression in mice - the visible burrow system (VBS) and the Intellicage. Both arenas are social living quarters that can be automated for remote recording of behavior and testing of depression-related phenomena, such as disturbed sleeping patterns, anhedonia, impaired attention, learned helplessness and other behaviors. As such, they may lead to new ways to assess depression in animals without disturbing the context in which symptoms show themselves. Results with these methods should allow for better behavioral assessments when studying genetic, environmental or experimental factors nominated for the generation of, maintenance of or recovery from depression.

Program Area: MOOD DISORDERS

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