Date of Award

8-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Psychological Science

Department

Psychology

First Reader/Committee Chair

Dionisio Amodeo

Abstract

Pharmacological activation of the 5-HT1B and 1A receptors has been implicated in OCD-like behaviors in rodents such as increased perseverative circling, checking behaviors, and locomotor stereotypy. However, little is understood about the effects of 5-HT1B and 1A receptor activation on behavioral inflexibility, a common symptom associated with OCD. The present study utilized the 5-HT1B/1A receptor agonist RU24969 at 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/kg to test three hypotheses. The first hypothesis predicted RU24969 would lead to a dose-dependent impairment on behavioral flexibility in C57BL/6J mice. It was also predicted that male C57BL/6J mice would be more inflexible than female C57BL/6J mice following RU24969 administration. The second hypothesis stated that RU24969 would have a dose-dependent increase in locomotor activity. Finally, it was hypothesized that RU24969 would increase anxiety-like behaviors in C57BL/6J mice. Results concluded that male mice had impaired behavioral flexibility at all doses of RU24969 while female mice were only impaired at the 1.0 mg/kg dose. For locomotor activity, male mice exhibited reduced distance traveled at the 1.0 mg/kg dose while RU24969 had no significant effect on female locomotion scores. Finally, male mice exhibited greater anxiety-like behaviors at 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg while female mice were not significantly affected. Overall, the evidence suggests that 5-HT1B and 1A receptor activation could play a role in the manifestation of learning impairments associated with core OCD symptoms.

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