Neuronal degeneration in the striatum of the groggy rat: a new mutant with a movement disorder.

A new mutation displaying abnormal movement was obtained in the progeny of a female Wistar rat which had been given 10 mg/kg methylnitrosourea at an early stage of the gestational period. Genetic studies revealed that the character is inherited by an autosomal single recessive gene, and we designated this mutation groggy (gene symbol gr). The abnormal movement of the groggy rat was first apparent around postnatal day 15, while the histological studies revealed the appearance of numerous necrotic neurons in the striatum of the groggy rat on postnatal days 60 and 120.