What Can Genetic Models Tell Us About Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

ADHD and callosal agenesis: to Dr Wilson

Thank you for your interest. No, we had no permit to do any challenge trial with DA agonists with these mice. I only made some TH immunostainings (Ab courtesy of Dr diPorzio, this symposium) of the nigrostriatal system of some fairly hyperactive acallosals. Nothing spectacular came out, besides maybe a relatively faint staining of the striatum, but I have no quantitative data. However, TH is also not that much telling....
As to the strain 129, these mice show, besides of callosal agenesis with incomplete penetrance, also other behavioral peculiarities, which may overlap or mask the expected disinhibition of motor output. The issue has been thoroughly discussed by Gerlai (Trends Neurosci. 1996, 19:177-181), as well as by several other authors, recently reviewed by Lipp and Wolfer (Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 1998, 8:272-280). We are preparing a paper focused on the effects of callosal size on swimming navigation. Genetic background effects are indeed a problem in the interpretation of data.
I am not surprised about similarities in the I/LN and the Coloboma model. After all, you can dim a light by using a lower power bulb, or also by increasing resistance, or by cutting the cable....

Tue Dec 15