My Hamster is SAD
Wolfram Donat
November 26, 2005
You want a cure for the common cold? Cancer got you down? Scientists have other things on their plates – namely, the fact that hamsters suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, in a manner similar to humans.
SAD, the modern term for ‘cabin fever,’ is characterized by a general feeling of depression and anxiety, normally accompanied by a craving for carbohydrates and wanting to sleep more than usual. People who suffer from SAD can be perfectly happy in the summer, but they become morose and apathetic during the sunlight-deficient days of winter. Many self-medicate by frequenting tanning salons, vacationing in warm climes, and basking in the light of full-spectrum light boxes.
At the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, D.C., Randy Nelson and Leah Pyter presented their findings that hamsters may suffer from similar symptoms as humans when exposed to shorter daylight hours. Like humans, the amount of depression may also vary depending on when the little rascals are born – those born in winter-like, shorter-daylight conditions tend to have increased depressive symptoms as adults.
So what symptoms do hamsters exhibit when they get depressed? Do they hit the water bottle and try to drown their rodent sorrows? Do they not get the same enjoyment out of running around their little wheel as they used to? (“Oh, what’s the use of running? I never get anywhere…”)
Actually, they don’t drink as much sugar water. Sugar water is a drink that hamsters generally enjoy, but those that are suffering from anxiety and depression don’t drink as much of the stuff. Oddly enough, this is almost the opposite of humans, who may drink more (alcohol, not sugar water) when they feel down in the dumps. Anxious hamsters may also cower close to the walls when placed into an open box, rather than scurrying out and exploring the center of the box like a normal, well-adjusted hamster.
The study also examined the effect of sex (gender, that is) on depressive tendencies, and found that female hamsters, like women, are more likely to develop these tendencies as adults than their male counterparts. Effects are also measurable from the amount of light received during and after the weaning process.
So what does this mean for your favorite shut-in? Although it seems meaningless, being able to study the disorder in hamsters may lead to new treatment possibilities in humans. Scientists have long suspected that deficiencies in melatonin and other hormones may be related to SAD and clinical depression, and new findings and study methods may help confirm those theories and lead to help for people (and hamsters) afflicted with those disorders.
SAD, the modern term for ‘cabin fever,’ is characterized by a general feeling of depression and anxiety, normally accompanied by a craving for carbohydrates and wanting to sleep more than usual. People who suffer from SAD can be perfectly happy in the summer, but they become morose and apathetic during the sunlight-deficient days of winter. Many self-medicate by frequenting tanning salons, vacationing in warm climes, and basking in the light of full-spectrum light boxes.
At the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, D.C., Randy Nelson and Leah Pyter presented their findings that hamsters may suffer from similar symptoms as humans when exposed to shorter daylight hours. Like humans, the amount of depression may also vary depending on when the little rascals are born – those born in winter-like, shorter-daylight conditions tend to have increased depressive symptoms as adults.
So what symptoms do hamsters exhibit when they get depressed? Do they hit the water bottle and try to drown their rodent sorrows? Do they not get the same enjoyment out of running around their little wheel as they used to? (“Oh, what’s the use of running? I never get anywhere…”)
Actually, they don’t drink as much sugar water. Sugar water is a drink that hamsters generally enjoy, but those that are suffering from anxiety and depression don’t drink as much of the stuff. Oddly enough, this is almost the opposite of humans, who may drink more (alcohol, not sugar water) when they feel down in the dumps. Anxious hamsters may also cower close to the walls when placed into an open box, rather than scurrying out and exploring the center of the box like a normal, well-adjusted hamster.
The study also examined the effect of sex (gender, that is) on depressive tendencies, and found that female hamsters, like women, are more likely to develop these tendencies as adults than their male counterparts. Effects are also measurable from the amount of light received during and after the weaning process.
So what does this mean for your favorite shut-in? Although it seems meaningless, being able to study the disorder in hamsters may lead to new treatment possibilities in humans. Scientists have long suspected that deficiencies in melatonin and other hormones may be related to SAD and clinical depression, and new findings and study methods may help confirm those theories and lead to help for people (and hamsters) afflicted with those disorders.
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