Dataset Information

Spontaneous head twitches in aged rats: behavioral and molecular study.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

We have discovered that rats at the age of 18 months begin to twitch their heads spontaneously (spontaneous head twitching, SHT). To date, no one has described this phenomenon.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to characterize SHT pharmacologically and to assess some possible mechanisms underlying SHT.

Methods

Wistar male rats were used in the study. Animals at the age of 18 months were qualified as HSHT (SHT ≥ 7/10 min observations) or LSHT (SHT < 7/10 min observations). Quantitative real-time PCR with TaqMan low-density array (TLDA) approach was adopted to assess the mRNA expression of selected genes in rat's hippocampus.