New animal model of social behavioral deficit: reversal by drugs.

A new model of social behavioral deficit and its reversal by drugs is described. Mice isolated for one week or more (isolated mice) behave differently from controls (grouped mice). When observed together under an inverted beaker, the isolated mice make significantly less escape attempts than the grouped mice. This behavioral deficit is a social one because it exists only when the isolated and grouped mice are tested together but not when they are tested singly. Several drugs impair this social behavioral deficit, particularly the 5-HT1B receptors agonists.