Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Depressed Hamsters Help Researchers

Posted by Zonk on from the sad-little-squeakers dept.

Ant wrote to mention an ABC News article indicating that hampsters feel the same effects during the winter months as humans do. Known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.), winter-related depression affects up to 20 percent of Americans. From the article: "For example, if the animals spend more time hovering near the walls of their containers, rather than at the center, it's believed they feel more anxious. If they decline to slurp up tempting offers of sugar water, scientists take it as a sign of depression. Another test involves placing the animals in water and seeing if they swim or simply give up and float. Hamsters don't sink apparently, but float in water. 'The sooner they give up in the water, the more depressed they are,' Pyter said. 'If you give them an antidepressant they don't give up as quickly.'"

4 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Re:erroneous study by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    What are you guys up to tonight?

    I've just gotten a chicken souvlaki, 6 pack of beer & i'm just packing my first bong for the night...

    Have a good one fellas!

  2. feltch? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Now who's more depressed?

  3. FIRST POST by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Before playing to many of us are BUWLA, or BSD play area Try) not Whethe>r you marketing surveys

  4. But in Russia ... ? by whitehatlurker · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I thought that in Soviet Russia, scientists would help depressed hamsters.

    --
    .. paranoid crackpot leftover from the days of Amiga.