B06 Social and sexual behavior changes in the BACHD RAT model

Background Social behavior related symptoms and sexual disturbances are frequently reported in Huntington disease (HD) patients, but scarcely studied in animal models. The BACHD rat model for HD carries the human full length mutated HTT with 97 CAG-CAA repeats and reproduces several HD-like features. Aims This study aims to characterize multiple aspects of social and sexual behavior in BACHD rats. Methods/techniques Rats were subjected to social interaction test, three chamber social test and mating test. While the social interaction test was applied longitudinally, three chamber and mating tests were administered in different age cohorts. Results/outcome BACHD rats showed a mild impairment in preference for novelty at 7 months as well as changes in different parameters of social interaction that were detectable by 2 months. Transgenic rats showed also increased sexual performance at the age of 3 months and a normalization of most sexual parameters at 7 months. Conclusions Our results indicate disturbed social and sexual phenotypes in the BACHD rat model. Relating these behavioral phenotypes to neurobiological alterations in relevant brain areas will help to clarify their nature and translatability to the human condition.