Patent ID: 7652191

Claim:
A method for producing a subset of maladapted non-human mammals characterized by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like behavior from a group of non-human mammals by behavioral conditioning, the method comprising: (a) determining an individual baseline behavioral level and at least one biological parameter selected from the group consisting of a Wolframin level and a Sigma 1 receptor level for each one of an individual non-human mammal in the group after a period of habituation to a defined set of conditions; (b) exposing each one of said individual non-human mammal in the group to a trauma event and further determining an individual posttraumatic event behavioral level and the level of said at least one biological parameter for each of said individual non-human mammal; (c) re-exposing each of said individual non-human mammal in the group to a trauma related event and further determining an individual post trauma related event behavioral level and the level of said at least one biological parameter for each individual non-human mammal; (d) evaluating said individual post trauma related event behavioral level and the level of said at least one biological parameter for each individual non-human mammal with respect to at least one baseline value according to a predetermined rule in order to determine which of said individual non-human mammal in the group belong to the subset of maladapted non-human mammals characterized by PTSD-like behavior.