Behavioral analysis of Animal Models II

Coordinator:		Prof. Dr. Rainer Spanagel
Institution:		ZI Mannheim
Homepage:		www.zi-mannheim.de/psychopharmakologie

The phenotyping platform proposed here provides the analysis for alcohol consumption and addictive-like behaviour of the transgenic mouse and rat models derived from SP4-7. In these rodent models, different glutamatergic genes are genetically targeted (e.g. NR1, GluR1&2, mGlu5, etc.) and we will study the influence of these deletions on alcohol consumption and addictive-like behaviour. Voluntary alcohol consumption patterns (measured by a fully-automated drinkometer system), relapse-like drinking behaviour (tested with the alcohol deprivation model), extinction of conditioned reinforcement and finally alcohol-seeking induced by previously conditioned cues or by stressors (tested with the reinstatement model) will be assessed. Interesting alcohol-related phenotypes will also be studied with respect to natural and other drug rewards such as cocaine, in order to attain a more comprehensive view on addiction and reward-related disorders.