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PubMed2003

Responses of horses in behavioural tests correlate with temperament assessed by riders.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Behavioural tests as well as observers' ratings have been used to study horses' temperament. However, the relationship between the ratings and the responses in behavioural tests has not yet been studied in detail. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to examine this relationship between ratings and responses. METHODS: Eighteen mature Swedish Warmblood horses were subjected to 2 behavioural tests, one relating to novelty (novel object test) and one to handling (handling test). Subsequently, 16 of these horses were ridden by 16 equally experienced students, having no former experience with the horses. Immediately after each ride, the students scored the horse for 10 temperamental traits using a line rating method. RESULTS: It was shown that for each temperamental trait all 16 riders agreed on the ranking of the horses (0.212<W<0.505, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Correlations between behavioural and heart rate variables in the behavioural tests revealed that horses with a high level of locomotion or much restlessness behaviour exhibited high mean heart rate and low heart rate variability. In particular, heart rate variables in the behavioural tests were found to correlate with riders' rating scores. Furthermore, the underlying components of the handling test, retrieved with a principal component analysis (PCA) correlated with riders' rating scores while the underlying components of the novel object test did not. POTENTIAL CLINICAL RELEVANCE: It is concluded that it is possible for a large panel of assessors to agree upon a horse's temperament and that objective measures from behavioural tests correlate significantly with temperamental traits assessed by a panel of assessors.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Hyperglycaemia in pregnancy: effects on the offspring behaviour with special reference to anxiety paradigms.

Maternal hyperglycemic effect was studied on the offspring behaviour. Offspring were obtained from diabetic rats by mating a normal father with a diabetic mother (NFDM), diabetic father with normal mother (DFNM) and diabetic father with diabetic mother (DFDM). Rats were rendered diabetic by injecting streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg i.p.) in citrate buffer. Offspring were subjected to various anxiety parameters including open field exploratory behaviour, elevated plus maze and zero maze behaviours, and the social interaction tests at the age of 8 weeks. The results indicate that offspring of NFDM and DFDM showed anxiogenic activity on the elevated plus maze zero maze and the social interaction test. Offspring of NFDM and DFDM exhibited hyper and emotional activity in the open field behaviour test. The behavioural alterations observed in the offspring were comparable to the behavioural alterations noted in STZ diabetic rat as reported earlier. Further offspring of NFDM and DFDM exhibited mild hyperglycaemia. No significant behavioural alterations in the offspring of DFNM were observed. It may be concluded, that exposure of offspring to diabetic environment in their foetal life can lead to anxiogenic/emotional behaviours in adult life.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Distinct effects of d-amphetamine and phencyclidine on the social behaviour of rats.

d-Amphetamine and phencyclidine (PCP) can induce a model psychosis in humans that resembles schizophrenia. Both drugs reproduce the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but apparently only PCP mimics the negative symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacological profiles of d-amphetamine and PCP in the social interaction test, and to determine if they have disruptive effects on social behaviour in rats that may be comparable to the social isolation characteristic of negative symptoms. Acute and subchronic (daily for 5 days) administration of d-amphetamine (0.7-22µmol/kg) produced stereotyped behaviour at dosages of 10.4µmol/kg and upwards without any consistent effects on social behaviour. In contrast, acute and subchronic PCP (0.9-29µmol/kg) produced dose-dependent increases in stereotyped behaviour and ataxia as well as dose-dependent reductions in the social behaviour at dosages of 3.6µmol/kg and upwards. Thus, d-amphetamine and PCP had distinct effects on the social behaviour of rats. Both drugs produced stereotyped behaviour and locomotor hyperactivity, but only PCP dose-dependently disrupted social behaviour. This raises the possibility that PCP-induced social isolation in rats corresponds to the social isolation reported in humans under the influence of PCP, and that it can be used as an animal model of negative symptoms.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Phencyclidine-induced stereotyped behaviour and social isolation in rats: a possible animal model of schizophrenia.

Phencyclidine (PCP) can induce a model psychosis in humans that mimics the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether PCP can induce similar behavioural effects in rats and whether these effects can be alleviated by neuroleptic drug treatment. Rats were tested in the social interaction test, and their behaviour was quantified by an automated video-tracking system and manual scorings of stereotyped behaviour and ataxia. The behavioural effects of different dose- and administration regimes of PCP were initially determined, and it was found that PCP dose-dependently induced stereotyped behaviour and social isolation in the rats. Comparison to clinical studies suggests that these behaviours correspond to certain aspects of the positive and negative symptoms, respectively, of a PCP psychosis in humans. Subsequently, the effects of 3 or 21 days of administration of the antipsychotic drugs haloperidol or clozapine on the behaviour of either vehicle- or PCP-treated rats were determined. Haloperidol did not produce a selective antagonism of PCP, whereas chronic clozapine selectively inhibited the PCP-induced stereotyped behaviour and social isolation. These effects of haloperidol and clozapine suggest that this animal model can determine the effects of neuroleptic drugs on positive and negative symptoms, onset of action, and side-effect profile, including effects on the motor system. Together these data suggest that this may be a possible animal model of the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Dentists' and patients' communicative behaviour and their satisfaction with the dental encounter.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the relations between patients' and dentists' communicative behaviour and their satisfaction with the dental encounter. PARTICIPANT: The sample consisted of 90 patients receiving emergency care from 13 different dentists. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Consultations were videotaped in order to assess dentists' and patients' communicative behaviour. Dentists' behaviour was coded by means of the Communication in Dental Setting Scale (CDSS), scores for patients' behaviour included among other things, the number of questions asked during the consultation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: After treatment, patients filled out a questionnaire that assessed their satisfaction with their own and their dentist's communicative behaviour. Dentists also filled out a satisfaction questionnaire after each consultation. RESULTS: Results showed that dentists' satisfaction could not be explained by patients' or dentists' communicative behaviour. Patients' satisfaction was mainly influenced by the communicative behaviour of the dentist. CONCLUSION: Not only is patients' satisfaction positively related to the communicative behaviour of dentists, but the principle of informed consent requires dentists also to inform their patients adequately enough for them to reach a well-informed decision about the treatment. Therefore, it remains important to train dentists in communicative skills.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behavioural disorders in adolescents with early-treated congenital hypothyroidism.

This study analyses the possible risk factors for the on-set of behavioural disorders and psychiatric disturbances in a group of 30 early-treated congenital hypothyroidism (CH) subjects (12 children and 18 adolescents) compared with a control group of 116 age-matched normal subjects (58 children and 58 adolescents). The study also allowed us to evaluate the possible age at onset of behavioural disorders. Both the sample's and the controls' behaviours were assessed using a specific diagnostic instrument: Achenbach's and Edelbrock's Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). A clinical structured interview, the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents--Revised (DICA-R) was also administered to 18 adolescents with early-treated CH, in order to determine the presence of psychopathological disturbances. In accordance with literature data, the children and adolescents with early-treated CH showed more behavioural problems than age-matched, normal controls. In the children, a statistically significant difference versus the controls emerged only in their higher delinquent behaviour score, while the adolescents gave, on the CBCL, significantly higher scores compared with controls in the withdrawal, anxiety/depression, thought problems, attention problems and aggressive behaviour scales. In the DICA-R, 44% of adolescents with early-treated CH showed symptoms of anxiety disorder, in particular, separation anxiety disorder with phobic components; 16% showed mood disorder and depression and 11% showed behavioural disorders with attention deficit.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Maternal and child's anxiety--effect on child's behaviour at dental appointments and treatments.

The objective of this study was to assess the influence of pre-existing dental anxiety and maternal anxiety on the behaviour of some Nigerian children during dental appointments. Two hundred and sixty children aged 2-15 years participated in this study. They were treated at the three government dental establishments in Ibadan, a city in South Western Nigeria, over a six-month period. The children's behaviour during different stages of treatment was determined by the Frankl's Behaviour Rating Scale. The outcome of the study revealed a high association between the level of pre-existing dental anxiety in the children and their behaviour during various phases of treatment (P<0.05). During initial stages of treatment, prophylaxis, administration of local anaesthesia and tooth extraction, children with high level of anxiety were less cooperative. In addition, a general tendency towards cooperative behaviour was observed among patients whose mothers had low anxiety levels. This study shows the importance of correct assessment of the pre-operative dental anxiety status in children as well as the level of anxiety in their mothers. The level of dental anxiety in children and their mothers appears to be predictive of their behaviour in the oral care setting. In circumstances where the level of pre-operative and maternal anxiety are high, efforts should first be geared toward instituting appropriate behaviour management skills like behaviour shaping and modelling to bring about a higher level of cooperation before embarking on treatment. By paying special attention to these children, it is possible that the dentist would succeed in improving acceptance of treatment in them thereby increasing cooperation at subsequent dental visits.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Economic evaluation of treatments for children with severe behavioural problems.

BACKGROUND: Disruptive behaviour disorders, including conduct disorder, affect at least 10% of children and are the most common reasons for referral to children's mental health services. The long-term economic impact on society of unresolved conduct disorder can exceed pound sterling 1 million for one individual over their lifetime. AIMS OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to estimate, from a multi-sectoral service perspective, the longer term cost-effectiveness of an intensive practice based parenting programme for children with severe behavioural problems as compared to a standard treatment, on a pilot basis. METHODS: A six-month pragmatic controlled trial was conducted involving forty-two families who had been referred to a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) because of severe child behavioural problems. The families were randomly allocated into either the standard or intensive, practice-based treatment arms of the trial. At baseline, children were aged 2 to 10 years. The externalising T-scale of the Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) was used as the primary outcome measure. Follow-up studies were conducted at 6 months and four years post-intervention. At the four-year follow up point the two treatments were subjected to an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis. This analysis was enabled by the collection of cost data with respect to the provision of the intensive and standard treatments in terms of therapeutic contact time and also participants' use of health, special educational and social services usage by means of a Client Service Receipt Inventory. RESULTS: Both groups exhibited improved behaviour at six month follow-up, but only the practice based treatment group showed sustained improvement at the four-year follow-up. An independent t-test revealed a significant difference between group mean scores at four-year follow-up (p = 0.027). The research found a median bootstrap ICER estimate of pound sterling 224 From the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC) it was found that 89.6% of the cost-effectiveness plane represented a cost saving over the control intervention while 99.9% represented an improvement in effect. Therefore the intensive intervention could not be said to differ significantly from the control intervention on the basis of costs or effects. However under certain circumstances requiring judgement the intensive intervention could be cost-effective. DISCUSSION: Training interventions for the parents of children with severe conduct disorders currently take the form of a number of behavioural strategies provided by a CAMHS team including the reinforcement of appropriate behaviours and parent record-keeping. An alternative treatment was then considered that included all the aspects provided by the standard treatment (with the exception of agreeing written goals) and also added five-hour sessions of unit-based treatment during which videotaped recording of parent-child interactions were used to give feedback to parents and to provide the opportunity for behavioural rehearsal. The findings of the current research indicate that this alternative treatment may be more cost-effective than the standard intervention under certain circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded on a pilot basis that while the CEAC failed to show a significant difference between costs and effects for the intensive treatment, under circumstances of resource/effect trade offs the treatment could be said to be cost-effective. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVISION, USE AND POLICIES: Health and social care policy and commissioning must be evidence based. Although the analysis in this paper should be considered a pilot due to the small sample size our results suggest that investment by health services and social services in practice-based parenting interventions may well be less costly and more effective in the longer-run than the standard practice involving giving management advice to parents. IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: It would be of interest for further research to continue to follow up the work done in this study with a larger cohort of subjects to further establish the effective components of parenting programmes and their relative costs and benefits both at intervention and over time.

Child↗
PubMed2005

Genetics of sexual behaviour in Drosophila.

The analysis of genetics of behaviour within and between species provides important clues about the forces shaping the evolution of behavioural genes. In Drosophila, a number of key processes such as emergence from the pupal case, locomotor activity, feeding, olfaction and aspects of mating behaviour are under circadian regulation. Genes controlling sexual behaviour are likely to control species specific differences in courtship that are involved in reproductive isolation of closely related species. Courtship in Drosophila is characterized by a series of stereotyped behaviours that lead to copulation and more than 30 genes have been identified through mutations that affect one or more of these elements. Although curiosity about behavioural differences between the sexes undoubtedly predates recorded history, little efforts have been made to uncover the molecular basis of male and female courtship. The brain and nervous system functions that underlie sex-specific behaviour are of obvious importance to all animals including humans. To understand behaviour related to sex it is important to distinguish those aspects that are controlled genetically. The isolation and analysis of Drosophila mutants with altered sexual orientation lead to the identification of novel branches in the sex-determination cascade, which govern the sexually dimorphic development of the nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Involvement of central serotonergic systems in dextromethorphan-induced behavioural syndrome in rats.

Dextromethorphan, a noncompetitive blocker of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type of glutamate receptor, at 45, 60 and 75 mg/kg, ip doses induced a behavioural syndrome characterised by reciprocal forepaw treading, lateral head-weaving, hind-limb abduction and flat body posture. Such type of behavioural syndrome is induced by 8-hydroxy-2- (di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) by directly stimulating the central postsynaptic 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) receptors of the 5-HT1A type. Pretreatment with buspirone (5, 10 mg/kg, ip) and l-propranolol (10, 20 mg/kg, ip) antagonised the behavioural syndrome induced by 8-OH-DPAT and dextromethorphan. Pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine (100 mg/kg/day x 4 days) antagonised the behavioural syndrome induced by dextromethorphan and dexfenfluramine but had no significant effect on 8-OH-DPAT induced behavioural syndrome. This indicates that dextromethorphan induces the behavioural syndrome by releasing 5-HT from serotonergic neurons with resultant activation of the postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors by the released 5-HT. Pretreatment with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, ip) significantly potentiated the behavioural syndrome induced by dextromethorphan and 5-hydroxytryptophan but significantly antagonised dexfenfluramine induced behavioural syndrome. This indicates that dextromethorphan releases 5-HT by a mechanism which differs from that of dexfenfluramine. Dextromethorphan may be releasing 5-HT by blocking the NMDA receptors and thereby counteracting the inhibitory influence of l-glutamate on 5-HT release.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗
PubMed2005

Evaluation of a health visitor-led sleep and behaviour clinic.

Behaviour problems in children aged 0-5 are common and distressing; given a tendency to persist, early behaviour problems also foreshadow later ill-health. Reliance tends to be placed upon the health visitors and nursery nurse to provide advice and support to those experiencing difficulties with young children. This paper describes the evaluation of a new, second tier health visitor-led sleep and behaviour clinic in one inner London borough, introduced for those whose difficulties persist despite support from agencies such as Sure Start and Newpin and initial advice from health visitors and nursery nurses. The theoretical framework underpinning the initiative is behavioural and intervention is offered to those seeking help with a relatively specific parenting difficulty. Behaviour therapy involves working in partnership with the parent(s)/client, assessing and meeting needs through dialogue and action planning while providing appropriate advice and support. The therapy is consistent with the health visitor approach. Evaluation focused upon three aspects: audit of the clinic activities, effectiveness of the intervention according to parental perception of change in the child's behaviour and client satisfaction with the service. Findings suggest that the clinic is acceptable to parents of a wide variety of social and ethnic groups and successful in improving the behaviour of young children. This small study suggests that a specialist health visitor-led clinic offering behaviour therapy within a community setting represents a feasible development that is within the scope of existing resources.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed2006

[KES--training for parents of children with conduct behaviour problems].

Conduct behaviour problems are the most frequent problems in childhood and adolescence. They make special demands on parenting. Possible causes for the emergence and maintenance of this distinctive features can be summarized in a bio-psychosocial disturbance model. The parental educating behaviour is thereby usually not the cause of the childlike behaviour problems, but can stabilize initial behaviour problems. Parenting trainings are therefore considered as an effective possibility of intervention and prevention of childlike behaviour disturbances. In this article contents and effectiveness of the "Kompetenztraining für Eltern sozial auffälliger und aufmerksamkeitsgestörter Kinder (KES)" (Lauth a. Heubeck 2005) are to be represented. The KES is a secondary preventive parenting training, which is offered as an intensive short time intervention and accomplished in groups. The contents of the training fit with the individual problems of parents' everyday educating situations. In the available study this training is operate in three variants in order to examine differential training effects apart from the general effectiveness. The results show a general effectiveness of the KES. Burdens in family educating situations can be reduced likewise the experienced stress in the family. The results also indicate, that the parents of the group with behaviour exercises seems to benefit most from the training. They do not only speak about their problems (alternative treatment) or get suggestions for changes in the educating behaviour (group without behaviour exercises). They are also requested to practice the connected skills in the form of role plays and homework to be able to transfer into everyday life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Injury-related behaviour among South African high-school students at six sites.

OBJECTIVES: To document and compare prevalence rates of adolescent injury-related risk behaviours at six sites in South Africa. DESIGN: The identical self-administered instrument was used at all sites. Prevalence rates (with 95% confidence intervals) were calculated taking the multistage cluster sampling strategy into account. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: In Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Mankweng participants were drawn from either grades 8 or 9, and grade 11, while in Queenstown and Umtata they were drawn from grade 11 only. We selected 39 schools in Cape Town and Durban, 33 in Port Elizabeth and 20 in each of the rural areas. OUTCOME MEASURES: Road-related risk behaviour, violence, and suicide attempts. RESULTS: Across the sites there were high rates of risk behaviour in all domains. For example, in the 12 months preceding the survey an estimated 52.8% of grade 11 males in Cape Town had travelled in the front seat of a motor vehicle without a seatbelt, 33.0% of grade 8 males in Mankweng had bullied others, while 44.5% of the same group had been bullied, and 18.6% of females in Port Elizabeth had attempted suicide. Rates were lower in rural areas for behaviour involving motor vehicles, but there were no consistent urban-rural findings for violence-related behaviour. Females were at higher risk of suicidal behaviour and males were at higher risk of other injury-related behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for effective interventions to reduce the extent of injury-related risk behaviour in adolescents in urban and rural settings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Secular trends in risk behaviour of Cape Town grade 8 students.

OBJECTIVE: To compare prevalence rates of selected risk behaviours and age of first intercourse of grade 8 students in Cape Town between 1997 and 2004. DESIGN: Cross-sectional surveys in 1997 and 2004. Survival analysis was used to estimate the cumulative incidence of first intercourse. The log-rank statistic was used to compare the survival distributions. When comparing data from the two studies we used a logistic regression model with the factors year, race and age group to test the difference in reported risk behaviours between 1997 and 2004 within each gender. SETTING: Public high schools in Cape Town. SUBJECTS: Multistage cluster samples of 1 437 and 6 266 grade 8 students in 1997 and 2004 respectively. OUTCOME MEASURES: Ever having had sexual intercourse; for those that had, whether any method was used to prevent pregnancy or disease at last intercourse, and (if so) what was used; use of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana; violence-related behaviours; and suicidal behaviour. RESULTS: There was a significant delay in first intercourse in 2004 compared with 1997. For males, levels of condom use were lower in 2004 than in 1997, while for females levels of injectable contraceptive use were lower. There were significant increases in past month use of cigarettes for males and marijuana for both genders. Rates of perpetration of violence behaviour remained stable or decreased from 1997 to 2004, while the rate of suicidal behaviour for males increased. CONCLUSIONS: School-based interventions that address sexual risk behaviours should be expanded to include other risk behaviours.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

The interaction of behavioural state, heart rate and resistance index in the human fetus.

The association and possible interactions of fetal behavioural state, fetal heart rate and vascular resistance was studied in 23 healthy pregnant women between 36 and 40 weeks' gestation. Doppler flow velocity waveforms were obtained from fetal cerebral (anterior cerebral, internal carotid and basilar), descending aorta and umbilical arteries during fetal behavioural state 1F and repeated during 2F. The Resistance Index (RI) was used as a measure of vascular resistance. Decreased vascular resistance was observed in all vessels except the umbilical artery during fetal behavioural state 2F compared to 1F (P less than 0.001). A significant interaction was observed between fetal heart rate and fetal behavioural state on the RI of the vessels studied, with a greater negative slope for RI plotted against fetal heart rate in fetal behavioural state 2F (-0.00139) compared to 1F (0.00005) (P less than 0.001). We conclude that the transition from fetal behavioural state 1F to 2F is associated with a significant reduction in cerebral and systemic vascular resistance, with no apparent change in placental resistance. Furthermore, fetal behavioural state and fetal heart rate interact, demonstrating a stronger association of fetal heart rate and RI in fetal behavioural state 2F in keeping with an increase in baroreflex sensitivity at this time.

Behavior↗
PubMed1983

Different behaviour patterns of mother-infant interaction.

In 17 infant rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) four different behaviour patterns of mother-infant interaction (On mother, Nipple, Immobile and Grooming by mother during On) were studied from the end of the first month of life to the beginning of the eighth. For both sexes of infants the mean durations and the mean number of bouts per session (frequency) were correlated for each behaviour; correlations between two different behaviours were also calculated (Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients). The results demonstrate an important fact, namely, that there are almost always significant correlations between frequency and duration both within and between behaviour patterns. In most of the cases, this is so only for analyses within the same sex. In general, neither the frequencies nor the durations of the behaviour of females are highly correlated with the frequencies or durations of the same or different male behaviour patterns. Behavioural frequencies and durations tend to be significantly correlated, but only within the same sex. In addition, two further facts emerge: first, that of all the analysed behaviour patterns, the frequency and the duration of Nipple are influenced by the time that the infant spends On mother and, secondly, that this tendency appears to be dependent on the sex of the infant.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Negative work behaviours: their impact on disabled people seeking work.

This paper looks at work behaviours which prevent an individual from getting and keeping a job, and then reviews how these behaviours might be changed. The term 'work behaviours' is examined and a definition for the term is proposed. Possible causes of negative work behaviours are cited, along with the way they might manifest themselves. A diagram demonstrating visually the causes and manifestations of negative work behaviours is shown. The potential for changing work behaviors is discussed, followed by a review of possible techniques that can affect such a change. Direct and indirect techniques of behaviour change are described. Direct behaviour change is seen to be preferable to indirect change, and the author looks briefly at nine methods of direct behaviour change.

Attitude↗
PubMed1994

Behavioural studies on BR-16A (Mentat), a herbal psychotropic formulation.

The anxiolytic, antidepressant and anti-aggression activities of Mentat were investigated in rats and mice, using standard behavioural paradigms. Single acute administration of Mentat, up to a dose of 200 mg/kg, ip, induced insignificant behavioural effects on the test parameters. However, when Mentat was administered subchronically for 7 days at two dose levels (50 and 100 mg/kg, intragastrically), the drug induced dose-related behavioural effects. Thus, it exhibited anxiolytic effect, as assessed by paradigms like the open-field test and elevated plus-maze tests in mice, and the social interaction test and Vogel's drink conflict test in rats. Furthermore, Mentat attenuated the increase in rat brain tribulin, a putative endocoid marker of anxiety, levels induced by pentylenetetrazole (20 mg/kg, sc), a known anxiogenic agent. Mentat attenuated footshock-induced aggressive behaviour in paired rats but failed to affect clonidine-induced automutilative behaviour. The observed aggression-attenuating effect of Mentat may be related to its anxiolytic activity. Mentat exhibited significant antidepressant effect as indicated by its ability to reduce swim stress induced immobility in Porsolt's behavioural despair test, reduction in escape failures concomitant with an increase in avoidance response in the learned helplessness test, and attenuation of muricidal behaviour, in rats. The observed behavioural effects are consonant with the reported clinical utility of Mentat as an adjuvant in the treatment of anxiety and depression.

Animals↗