Behavioral and magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies in the rat hyperserotonemic model of autism. Physiol Behav 2002 Mar;75(3):403-10
Date
03/19/2002Pubmed ID
11897268DOI
10.1016/s0031-9384(01)00673-4Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0036122464 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 71 CitationsAbstract
Autism is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder, with several cardinal features including sensory disturbances, obsessive-compulsive-like behavior, lack of bonding to caregivers and motor disturbances. To date, there is a lack of an animal model of the disease. The current work is aimed at producing such a model by treating developing rat pups with a serotonergic agonist, 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT; 1 mg/kg) during development (from gestational age 12 days to postnatal day 20), thus mimicking one of the hallmark neurochemical features of the illness-increases in the neurotransmitter, serotonin. Animals were then tested in behavioral paradigms that may resemble the human illness. Treated rat pups were found to be overreactive to auditory or tactile sensory stimuli, to display changes in the negative geotaxic test of motor development, to show lack of separation-induced vocalizations when their dam was removed and to show decreased alternation in the spontaneous alternation task. As well, the animals showed metabolic abnormalities in the brain using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which are consistent with those observed in autistic children. In summary, the model we are proposing shows some of the behavioral and metabolic features of autism, as well as being produced through alteration of a neurochemical system known to be altered in autism.
Author List
Kahne D, Tudorica A, Borella A, Shapiro L, Johnstone F, Huang W, Whitaker-Azmitia PMMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
5-MethoxytryptamineAcoustic Stimulation
Animals
Autistic Disorder
Behavior, Animal
Birth Weight
Brain Chemistry
Disease Models, Animal
Exploratory Behavior
Female
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Physical Stimulation
Postural Balance
Pregnancy
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Serotonin
Serotonin Receptor Agonists
Vocalization, Animal
