Exam 1 - Repetitive Behaviors Flashcards
what are stereotypic behaviors?
repetitive behaviors that are not functional, often are rhythmic
pattern becomes more rigid over time & can be easily triggered by stress/anticipation even if not exhibited for a long time
movements will increase as stress increases
T/F: in an animal displaying stereotypic behavior, an increase in stress will increase their movements
true
what is the cause of stereotypies?
unknown - physiologically & neurologically complex
may be that individuals have high baseline cortisol levels (cortisol levels return to normal during/after cribbing in horses) which suggests that the behavior reduces stress perception
or that individuals have low b-endorphin levels
stereotypies usually start in _______ animals - why is this?
young animals!!!
older animals are thought to have been sensitized by significant stress when they were young
what are some examples of things that affect the stereotypic pattern seen in animals?
species-specific behavior
breed-specific behavior
personality type
environment
what are some examples of how breed-specific behaviors affect stereotypic patterns?
the pattern is often based on natural behaviors
oral behaviors like licking/cribbing
locomotor behaviors like circling, pawing, & tail chasing
what are some examples of how personality type behaviors affect stereotypic patterns?
high prey drive & easily stressed animals
jack russels digging & weimeraners being neurotic
what are some examples of how environment behaviors affect stereotypic patterns?
sawdust particles in sunshine - dog switched to overhead lights & chases particles
dog confined to a kennel - dog starts pacing the fence
owner behavior (giving attention) can reinforce the undesired behavior!!!
what medical problems has a circling locomotor pattern of stereotypic behavior been associated with?
gi issues, immune-mediated/inflammatory disorders, & allergies especially in GSD
what are some examples of locomotor patterns displayed as stereotypic behaviors?
circling, spinning, tail chasing, digging, weaving, & cage walking/pacing
what are some factors that potentiate the behavior of the tail chasing locomotor pattern?
hydrocephalus, genetic predisposition, & coping mechanism for stress
what are you concerned about for a dog displaying tail chasing but they don’t catch it & just go after it?
CNS/PNS problem - some dogs may catch & injure their tail
what are some examples of oral patterns displayed as stereotypic behaviors?
licking the floor/wall, excessive grooming, nose rubbing, pica, & flank sucking
what are some breed specific examples of locomotor patterns in stereotypic behaviors in dogs?
australian cattle dog - tail chasing
border collies - staring/chasing light or shadows
why do we see spinning & tail chasing as a locomotor pattern in german shepherds with behavioral stereotypies?
tail chasing is related to the neural cadherin gene
best performers tend to be the worst tail chasers
respond poorly to SSRIs - better to use anticonvulsants
T/F: GSD with tail chasing/spinning respond better to anticonvulsants than SSRIs
true
what oral patterns are seen in doberman pinschers with behavioral stereotypies? how common is it? why?
flank sucking & blanket sucking
30% incidence - 70% of some litters are affected
relates to neural cadherin gene - same as GSD
T/F: the cause of flank sucking in dobermans & tail chasing in GSD is related to the same neural cadherin gene
true
what stereotypies are seen in german short-haired pointers & great danes?
self-mutilation & fence running
what stereotypies are seen in mini schnauzers?
freezing, checking rear end
what stereotypies are seen in cavies?
chasing light or shadows
what stereotypies are seen in large breed dogs?
acral lick granulomas
what are some stereotypic patterns seen in cats?
excessive licking & circling
what is the acute phase in regards to the physiology of stereotypies?
on going stress results in a loose pattern of locomotor or oral behaviors to cope
studies on paw licking in dobies suggest that stress relief within 6 weeks stops the progression of the behavior into a stereotypy
what is the chronic phase in regards to the physiology of stereotypies?
brain becomes hardwired for the behavior - stereotypy becomes more rigid & harder to eliminate
what are some causes of dopamine modulation change related to chronic stress?
chronic stress from restricted goal-directed activities like locomotor activity, feeding, & social contact
what are the functions of dopamine?
reward (motivation)
motor function (fine tuning)
pleasure, euphoria
compulsion
T/F: there is some relationship to dopamine modulation dysfunction in the basal ganglia resulting in stereotypic behaviors
true
what are some causes of dopamine modulation change related to psychostimulants (highly desirable stimuli)?
food - horses regularly consuming highly palatable foods appear more at risk for accelerated stereotypy development
social engagement
stuck between appetitive (wanting) & consummatory (doing)
T/F: stereotypic behaviors may be related to abnormal sensitivity to endorphins
true - levels are lower in horses with stereotypies & response to some narcotic antagonists supports sensitivity
what is the goal of treating stereotypies? why?
reduction of the behavior!!!
stereotypies are extremely difficult to eliminate
treat coexisting medical conditions - tail chasing with mutilation/injures to the rear & cauda equina syndrome
how is management used for treating stereotypies?
environmental enrichment
how is drug therapy used to treat stereotypies?
SSRIs & TCAs - 50% respond to serotonin enhancers
some respond to narcotic antagonists - internal reward
T/F: it is okay to use physical barriers alone to treat stereotypic behaviors
false - can’t do this alone without addressing the stress
T/F: it is impossible to prove that animals have obsessive thoughts
true
what is obsession?
persistent idea initially experienced as intrusive & senseless that is usually disturbing/distracting
what is compulsion? how does it relate to stereotypy?
repetitive, purposeful, & intentional behavior performed in a repetitive fashion in response to an obsession - clearly excessive & done to make obsession go away
the repetition may be a stereotypy that has become dissociated from the triggering stimulus
what causes compulsion in companion animals?
unknown but suspected genetic component in some cases
what is the issue with compulsion being done to make the obsession go away?
the relief never lasts & anxiety continues to increase, so the need to express the behavior becomes more demanding
what are some examples of human expressions of OCD?
washers - cleaning or hand-washing compulsions
checkers - repeatedly checking harmful things
doubters & sinners - perfection or will be punished/bad things will happen
counters & arrangers - obsessed with order & symmetry
hoarders - bad things will happen if they throw anything away
what are some examples of OCD patterns in dogs?
acral lick dermatitis/granulomasa
ball, stick, or toy fetish
light chasing - often triggered by having the dog chase a laser light
circling or tail chasing
what OCD patterns are seen in bull terriers?
tail chasing, trancing, & freezing
OCD patterns in other dog breeds are seen when __________ become ______
stereotypies
OCDs
what cat breed is associated with the OCD pattern of wool/fabric sucking?
siamese cats
what cat breed is associated with the OCD pattern of excessive self-licking?
bengal cats
what are some examples of OCD patterns seen in cats?
repetitive vocalization
wool/fabric sucking
excessive licking of self, inanimate objects, or air licking
light chasing
spinning
tail chasing
what is the physiology of OCD in companion animals?
thought to be an abnormality in the brain pathway
frontal cortex sends ‘worry’ signal through caudate nucleus (part of the basal ganglia)
caudate nucleus normally brakes amount of signal passed on to the thalamus
thalamus gets excited & signals the frontal cortex
frontal cortex gets more hyper & the loop continues if caudate nucleus doesn’t slow things down
what is the relationship of OCD to the Slitrk5 gene?
inactivation of the gene leads to over grooming
role in the release & uptake of glutamate, so too much glutamate causes nerve over excitation, & glutamate receptors may also be over sensitive
T/F: medication alone (SSRIs) for treating OCD in companion animals is rarely effective
true
what is the most successful treatment for animals with OCD?
cognitive therapy where they learn effective ways to respond to obsessive thoughts without showing the compulsive behavior
should an animal ever be punished for showing compulsive behavior?
nope
what is the goal for treating animals with OCD? how should you start in your approach?
reduce the frequency of the behavior - elimination is unlikely & recurrence with stress is common
treat underlying conditions - hyper behavior & medical conditions
how is management used for treating OCD in companion animals?
physical barriers - only blocks the behavior & increases stress, so don’t do this alone
avoid stimuli that trigger the behavior
reduce environmental stress with exercise, environmental enrichment, & predictable routines
neutrally distract animal - head halter, asking for an alternative behavior to be rewarded
why may SSRIs & TCAs work for treating animals with OCD?
they work to increase the amount of serotonin available in interneuron space & may eventually remodel some receptors
why may narcotic antagonists work for treating animals with OCD?
stress causes the release of endorphins & endorphins in certain regions in the brain can trigger stereotypic movements
narcotic antagonists block the release of endorphins
why may NMDA receptor blockers, such as dextromethorphan, work for treating animals with OCD?
stress causes the release of endorphins which release dopamine
dopamine reinforces the behavior but needs activated NMDA receptors to work
how is behavior modification used for treating animals with OCD?
train the animal for breed-specific activities
teach the animal to relax on cue
desensitize the animal to the stimuli
what is the difference between stereotypies, obsessions, & compulsions?
stereotypy - not functional, rhythmic repetitive behaviors that are easily triggered by stress/anticipation
obsessions - unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings
compulsions - behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease distress, repetitive purposeful intentional behavior performed in a repetitive fashion in response to an obsession
