Neuronal activity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in a rat model for obsessive–compulsive disorder

In search of a new potential target for deep brain stimulation in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), we evaluated the single-cell activity of neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) in urethane-anesthetized rats in an animal model for OCD, the schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) model, and compared this to the BST activity in control rats and to a third group of rats which were introduced in the model but did not develop the SIP, and thus were considered resistant. We compared the firing rate and firing pattern of BST neurons between these groups, between hemispheres and made a correlation of the firing rate and firing pattern to the position in the BST. The variability of BST neurons in SIP rats was lower and the randomness higher than BST neurons in control rats or resistant rats. The firing rate of BST neurons in SIP rats was significantly higher and the burst index lower than BST neurons in resistant rats but not in control rats. Also, neurons from the right hemisphere in the SIP group had a higher burst index than neurons from the left hemisphere. However, this is opposite in the resistant and control group. Third, we found a higher bursting index with increasing (more ventral) depth of recording. These findings suggest that schedule-induced polydipsia, which models compulsive behavior in humans, induces a change in firing behavior of BST neurons.

► We evaluated the neuronal activity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in rats.
► We used an animal model for obsessive–compulsive disorder.
► We compared activity between schedule-induced polydipsia rats, resistant, and control rats.
► Firing rate and firing pattern parameters differ between these groups.
► Firing pattern parameters differ between hemispheres and position within the nucleus.