Strain and sex based characterization of behavioral expressions in non-induced compulsive-like mice.

There is currently a lack of understanding how genetic background and sex differences attribute to the heterogeneity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). An animal model of compulsive-like behaviors has been developed through bidirectional selection of house mice (Mus musculus) for high (big cotton nests; BIG mice) and low levels (small nests; SMALL mice) of nest-building behavior. The BIG male strains have predictive and face validity as a spontaneous animal model of OCD.