11 - Behavioural Neuropharmacology

Question 1

Why do we need animal models

Answer 1

Preclinical testing

Question 2

What are the 3 Rs of animal testing

Answer 2

Replacement
Reduction
Refinement

Question 3

What are the 3 validity criteria of animal models

Answer 3

1) Face validity - response in animal model should resemble behavioural response observed in humans
2) Predictive validity - animal model should be sensitive to clinically effective pharmacological agents
3) Construct validity - Theoretical and empirical accounts of the human disorder and the disordered behaviour is aligned

Question 4

What does an animal model with better construct validity better parallel

Answer 4

Behavioural
Neurobiological
Genetic
Molecular features of the human disorder

Question 5

What are 4 anxiety disorders

Answer 5

Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Panic Disorder
Acute Stress Disorder
Phobias

Question 6

What do exploratory models of anxiety mimic

Answer 6

Natural conflict between tendency of a mice or rat to explore a novel environment and to avoid an exposed, open area

Question 7

What are four exploratory models of anxiety

Answer 7

1) Open Field
2) Emergence or Light Dark Test
3) Elevated Plus Maze
4) Social Interaction

Question 8

What is the innate fear model

Answer 8

1) Rats exposed to cat odour during conditioning
2) Predator odour induce an innate anxiogenic response
3) Midazolam during conditioning reversed anxiety

Question 9

Is PTSD classified as anxiety or mood disorder

Answer 9

No

Question 10

What are symptoms of unipolar depressive disorder (5)

Answer 10

1) Depressed mood
2) Apathy
3) Anhedonia
4) Difficulty to think or concentrate
5) Suicidal thoughts

Question 11

What are some animal models of depression (4)

Answer 11

1) Behavioural despair (forced swim, tail suspension)
2) Learned helplessness (chronic unpredictable stress)
3) Chronic mild stress
4) Novelty-induced hypophagia

Question 12

What is the effect of an antidepressant in the FST

Answer 12

Decreased immobility

Question 13

What gene is associated with major depressive disorder

Answer 13

P2RX7

Question 14

What is a prepulse inhibition of startle

Answer 14

Pre-exposure to a weak acoustic simulus reduces the startle response to a loud stimulus

Question 15

What do schizophrenic patients show deficits in

Answer 15

PPI that are normalised by antipychotic drugs and nicotine

Question 16

What does THC exposure reduce

Answer 16

Neurobehavioural effects of risperidone

Question 17

What is a mutated protein implicated in schziphrenia

Answer 17

Neuregelin

Nrg1 heterozygous mice display hyperactivity and decreased PPI

Question 18

What reversed Nrg1 hyperactivity

Answer 18

Clozapine

Question 19

What did Nrg1 HET mice display

Answer 19

Enhanced sensitivity to drugs that trigger psychosis in humans e.g. methamphetamine and THC

Question 20

What do Nrg1 HET mice have (3)

Answer 20

Increased c-Fos expression in the nucleus accumbens
Altered D2, 5-HT2A and NMDA receptor
Increased C4 expression

Question 21

What do schizophrenia patients have increased defects in

Answer 21

Hippocampal 2-AG and cognitive deficits

Question 22

What do 70-80% of children have a mutation in for Dravet syndrom

Answer 22

Loss-of-function in SCN1A

Question 23

What does Dravet syndrome present as

Answer 23

Convulsive febrile seizures

Progress to spontaneous seizures and reduced lifespan

Question 24

What behavioural abnormalities do affected children have

Answer 24

Hyperactivity
Psychomotor and language delays
Cognitive impairments
Difficulty socially relating to others