Further investigation of phenotypes and confounding factors of progressive ratio performance and feeding behavior in the BACHD rat model of Huntington disease.

ABSTRACT: Huntington disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, psychiatric and metabolic symptoms. We recently published a study describing that the BACHD rat model of HD shows an obesity phenotype, which might affect their motivation to perform food-based behavioral tests. Further, we argued that using a food restriction protocol based on matching BACHD and wild type rats' food consumption rates might resolve these motivational differences. In the current study, we followed up on these ideas in a longitudinal study of the rats' performance in a progressive ratio test. We also investigated the phenotype of reduced food consumption rate, which is typically seen in food-restricted BACHD rats, in greater detail. In line with our previous study, the BACHD rats

SUBMITTER: Clemensson EK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5342229 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature