The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) as a model organism to explore the naturalistic psychobiological mechanisms contributing to compulsive-like rigidity: A narrative overview of advances and opportunities

Abstract

Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii), a wildtype species native to North America, have been investigated for their spontaneous compulsive-like behaviour. The repetitive and persistence nature of three unique compulsive-like phenotypes in deer mice, i.e., high stereotypy (HS), large nesting behaviour (LNB) and high marble burying (HMB), are characterized by behavioural and cognitive rigidity. In this narrative review, we summarize key advances in the model's application to study obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), emphasizing how it may be used to investigate neurobiological and neurocognitive aspects of rigidity. Indeed, deer mice provide the field with a unique naturalistic and spontaneous model system of behavioural and cognitive rigidity that is useful for investigating the psychobiological mechanisms that underpin a range of compulsive-like phenotypes. Throughout the review, we highlight new opportunities for future research.