Selective breeding for dominant and submissive behavior in Sabra mice.

Background: The Dominant-Submissive Relationship (DSR) model used here was developed for mood stabilizing and antidepressant drug testing. Treatment of submissive animals with known antidepressants significantly reduced submissive behavior in a dose-dependent manner. We hypothesized that if submissive behavior in DSR is a valid model of depression, it should be possible to show a genetic predisposition for this trait, since clinical studies support a genetic component for depression.

Programmed acute electrical stimulation of ventral tegmental area alleviates depressive-like behavior.

Depressive disorders affect approximately 5% of the population in any given year. Antidepressants may require several weeks to produce their clinical effects. Despite progress being made in this area there is still room and a need to explore additional therapeutic modes to increase treatment effectiveness and responsiveness.