Behavioral and monoamine changes following severe vitamin C deficiency.

ABSTRACT: Severe vitamin C deficiency (ascorbic acid; AA) was induced in gulo-/- mice incapable of synthesizing their own AA. A number of behavioral measures were studied before and during the deprivation period, including a scorbutic period, during which weight loss was observed in the mice. Mice were then resuscitated with AA supplements. During the scorbutic period, gulo-/- mice showed decreased voluntary locomotor activity, diminished physical strength, and increased preference for a highly palatable sucrose reward. These behaviors all returned to control levels following resuscitation. Altered trial times in subordinate mice in the tube test for social dominance in the AA-deprived mice persisted following resuscitation and may signify a depressive-like behavior in these mice. Biochemical analys

SUBMITTER: Ward MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3540126 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature