COMPARISON OF THE BEHAVIOR OF THE CURLY TAIL AND CBA MOUSE ON A NEUROLOGIC SCALE

ct/ct mice are a mutation of the CBA strain with a high incidence of s pina bifida (SB). Because humans with SE can exhibit abnormal behavior , we compared ct/ct and CBA mice using a neurologic assessment tool. c t/ct mice are more active and engage in more climbing, and stereotypic al and compulsive behavior. When stimulated during cage removal ct/ct mice react more vigorously, ct/ct mice react more vigorously to a nove l stimulus, and will vigorously search for a stable surface during vis ual placement. In the open field ct/ct mice crossed more lines and rea red more than CBA. ct/ct mice demonstrated deficient performance in a modified Morris water maze. No differences were noted for other behavi ors tested. The results argue that the mutation that produces SE in ct /ct mice also alters brain structure or chemistry. This is consistent with the findings in humans where SE can produce a variety of behavior al anomalies, most notably hyperactivity, attentional disorders, learn ing disabilities, and developmental lags. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science In c.