A transgenic rat model for reducing adult neurogenesis

The function of adult neurogenesis remains unclear. While many tools for manipulating neurogenesis have been developed for mice, there are fewer tools for rats. Radiological and chemical strategies have been used to inhibit adult neurogenesis in rats but these methods may also have undesired side effects. Since rats have a larger brain and can perform complex behaviors, it would be useful to have additional rat models for studying neurogenesis. To address this gap we therefore developed a transgenic GFAP-TK rat in which adult neurogenesis can be specifically inhibited. Preliminary results suggest that, as in mice, reduced adult neurogenesis leads to anhedonia.