The Importance Of A Research On Bipolar Disorder - 1009 Words

The Importance of Mice Research in Understanding Bipolar Disorder Introduction This presentation will be discussing the contributions non-human animal research has made to the field of psychology while focusing on developments in bipolar research. It will begin with an exploration of three research examples that used mice to make discoveries relevant to bipolar disorder. Then my presentation will acknowledge the ethical concerns behind non-human animal research. Next, my presentation will go into an analysis of non-human animal research by discussing its advantages and how valuable this research has been to psychological understanding. The presentation will conclude with a summary of all the points discussed. Research Example 1 Young,†¦show more content†¦Research Example 2 Roybal, Theobold, Graham, DiNieri, Russo, Krishnan, Chakravarty, Peevy, Oehrlein, Birnbaum, Vitaterna, Orsulak, Takahshi, Nestler, Carlezon Jr, and McClung (2007) investigated how mice with a mutated CLOCK gene exhibit many of the same behaviors as manic patients, such as decreased sleep, hyperactivity, and increased stimulation for reward (See Slide 2). CLOCK mutant mice show increased dopamine firing and bursting in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), an area important for reward pathways. A functional CLOCK protein was added to the VTA of mutated CLOCK mouse. After this procedure, the anxiety levels and hyperactivity of the mouse returned to wild-type levels (See Slide 3). This research showed that CLOCK protein is important in regulating the behavior typical of bipolar patients experiencing a manic phase. Additionally, this study showed that CLOCK mutant mice are good models for mania. Research Example 3 Flaisher-Grinberg and Einat (2009) conducted an experiment by providing hyperactive mice with one of two drugs (mood stabilizer valproate or the antidepressant imipramine), and then testing the mobility of the mice using the forced swim test. Valproate is often used for manic episodes in bipolar patients and is known to decrease hyperactivity. As hypothesized, valproate increased immobility