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The potential of psychedelics in the treatment of drug addiction in animal models.
Mallarino, Barbara ; Šíchová, Klára (advisor) ; Honc, Ondřej (referee)
Psychedelics are mind-altering and perception-changing psychoactive compounds that can produce some significant changes in the ordinary wiring of the brain. Substantial attention is paid to some of the most promising compounds for addiction and mental health research: LSD, tryptamines (psilocybin, DMT) and ibogaine. The underlying neurobiological basis of the development of addiction and relevant animal models and methods are described in the first part. Following, changes in brain regions connectivity induced by psychedelics and molecular mechanisms of action are discussed, emphasising the potential anti-addictive properties. The last part of the thesis focuses on data acquired from preclinical animal studies, which helps to further understand some of the mechanisms underlying their effectiveness in the clinical treatment of drug addiction.
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Interaction between animal cognition and animal personality
Houšková, Markéta ; Landová, Eva (advisor) ; Šíchová, Klára (referee)
Personality is an important characteristic of individual variability which in some way restricts the full behavioural flexibility. Generally, it is not known, what is the relationship between environmental variability and variability in cognitive abilities of animals? More specifically, how this relationship impacts on the evolution of behavioural plasticity and the expression of animal personality. It is assumed that there is a correlation between the type of personalities and cognitive abilities but mutual causal relationship of this interaction is not yet fully understood. Proactive types of personalities in cognitive tests seem to be neophilic but slower in adapting to changes in the environment or in the analysing of signals with the changed meaning (reversal learning). On the contrary, reactive types of personalities are probably neophobic, they less risk and they are more flexible. However, it is questionable whether these behavioural types have an influence on cognitive abilities and how this influence manifests itself specifically to them. In this thesis, we will focus on whether and how different types of personalities are reflected in these cognitive abilities for each species and what is the methodology for testing these dependencies. Key words: animal personality, coping style,...
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Acute effects of new psychoactive substance from the group of phenethylamine derivatives - an animal study
Syrová, Kateřina ; Šíchová, Klára (advisor) ; Svoboda, Jan (referee)
Synthetic N-methoxybenzyl ("NBOMe") phenylethylamine derivatives were developed as highly potent agonists for the research of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors, however they have become available on the black market in the past few years. They are sought by recreational users as "legal LSD", in worse cases the replacement is unsuspected and these substances are a cause of serious intoxication with signs of serotonin toxicity. At this moment, there is very little data available, but their low price, easy access via the internet and legal status make these substances an interesting target for recreational users and a big challenge for scientists and for the lawmakers. 2CBFly-NBOMe belongs to this group. There is no information about its recreational use for now, but thiat is probably only a matter of time. The aim of this study is to determine acute effects of 2CBFly-NBOMe in Wistar rats. Active substance significantly reduced locomotor activity of the animals and caused higher anxiety, it also disrupted sensorimotor gating and lowered body temperature of animals. Pharmacokinetic profile was measured only in the blood serum, the highest concentrations of 2CBFly-NBOMe were detected 30-60 minutes after the administration of hallucinogen. This paper provides first information on the effect of 2CBFly-NBOMe on...
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Underlying causes and stability of intraspecific variation in behaviour of microtine rodents
ŠÍCHOVÁ, Klára
Two crucial issues related to personality in non-human animals have been identified: firstly, the underlying 'causes' of personality and,secondly, the stability of behavioural repertoires (essentially the defining feature of personality) have both been the subject of long-standing debate. This thesis is focused on investigating stable inter- and intra- individual differences in the behaviour of wildcaught bank voles, Myodes glareolus (that varied according to mtDNA type), and in common voles, Microtus arvalis. The first study, using wild voles, revealed empirical evidence about the effects of sex and mtDNA type on individual differences in basal metabolic rate and in behaviour in the open field which provides measures of approach and avoidance (here, generically termed 'proactivity') and which relate to several theoretical conceptualisations of animal personality. The second study demonstrated the presence of stable individual differences in reactions to exposure to open field test and radial maze in common voles, which were shaped by the social environment and in turn, related to cognitive efficiency. The same species was used in the third study documenting the distinct temporal patterns of behavioural plasticity that manifested over repeated exposures to the open field test. We suggest that this distinct temporal patterning in habituation, whilst it varied over time, was predictable in nature and therefore a reflection of a stable underlying personality. To conclude, this body of thesis work draws together a number of influencing factors, and considers their contribution to animal personality.
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Interaction between animal cognition and animal personality
Houšková, Markéta ; Landová, Eva (advisor) ; Šíchová, Klára (referee)
Personality is an important characteristic of individual variability which in some way restricts the full behavioural flexibility. Generally, it is not known, what is the relationship between environmental variability and variability in cognitive abilities of animals? More specifically, how this relationship impacts on the evolution of behavioural plasticity and the expression of animal personality. It is assumed that there is a correlation between the type of personalities and cognitive abilities but mutual causal relationship of this interaction is not yet fully understood. Proactive types of personalities in cognitive tests seem to be neophilic but slower in adapting to changes in the environment or in the analysing of signals with the changed meaning (reversal learning). On the contrary, reactive types of personalities are probably neophobic, they less risk and they are more flexible. However, it is questionable whether these behavioural types have an influence on cognitive abilities and how this influence manifests itself specifically to them. In this thesis, we will focus on whether and how different types of personalities are reflected in these cognitive abilities for each species and what is the methodology for testing these dependencies. Key words: animal personality, coping style,...
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Early social environment affects development of personality traits in common vole \kur{(Microtus arvalis).}
ŠÍCHOVÁ, Klára
The study investigated the effect of non-genetic social factors (represented by litter size, litter sex composition, and affinity to age cohort) on the development of consistent inter-specific differences in reaction to novelty in common voles (Microtus arvalis). The voles were tested in three behavioural experiments ? Forced Open Filed test (FOF), Unforced Open Field test (UFOF), and Radial-arm maze (RAM). A siginificant impact of compontents of social environment was detected.
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