Neurobehavioral deficits in db/db diabetic mice

• Published in: Physiology & behavior Vol. 101; no. 3; pp. 381 - 388
• Main Authors: Sharma, Ajaykumar N, Elased, Khalid M, Garrett, Teresa L, Lucot, James B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 05.10.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Age Factors; Animals; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders - complications; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Depression; Depressive Disorder - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - physiopathology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - psychology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Diabetic mice; Disease Models, Animal; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Escape Reaction - physiology; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Exploratory Behavior - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Male; Matched-Pair Analysis; Maze Learning - physiology; Medical sciences; Memory; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Mutant Strains - psychology; Mood disorders; Motor Activity - physiology; Motor behavior; Point Mutation; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychosis; Psychotic Disorders - complications; Receptors, Leptin - genetics; Reflex, Startle - physiology; Psychosis; Depression; Anxiety; Motor behavior; Diabetic mice; Memory; Endocrinopathy; Mood disorder; Affect affectivity; Diabetes mellitus; Rodentia; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Body movement
• ISSN: 0031-9384; 1873-507X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.07.002

Abstract Recent clinical studies indicate neurobehavioral disturbances in type-2 diabetics. However, there is paucity of preclinical research to support this concept. The validity of db/db mouse as an animal model to study type-2 diabetes and related complications is known. The present study was designed to investigate comprehensively the db/db mouse behavior as preclinical evidence of type-2 diabetes related major neurobehavioral complications. We tested juvenile (5–6 weeks) and adult (10–11 weeks) db/db mice for behavioral depression in forced swim test (FST), psychosis-like symptoms using pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) test, anxiety behavior employing elevated plus maze (EPM) test, locomotor behavior and thigmotaxis using open field test and working memory deficits in Y-maze test. Both juvenile and adult group db/db mice displayed behavioral despair with increased immobility time in FST. There was an age-dependent progression of psychosis-like symptoms with disrupted PPI in adult db/db mice. In the EPM test, db/db mice were less anxious as observed by increased percent open arms time and entries. They were also hypo-locomotive as evident by a decrease in their basic and fine movements. There was no impairment of working memory in the Y-maze test in db/db mice. This is the first report of depression, psychosis-like symptoms and anxiolytic behavior of db/db mouse strain. It is tempting to speculate that this mouse strain can serve as useful preclinical model to study type-2 diabetes related neurobehavioral complications.