Tuesday October 14th, 2008
 |  |
 |
Hamsters get SAD Too
Posted by Marisa Belger on November 17, 2005 - 11:37am.
Hamsters are helping scientists understand why some people are afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Randy Nelson, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Ohio State University found more SAD symptoms — usually depression and anxiety — in adult hamsters that lived with limited daylight ( just like winter) than in those who were exposed to more light.
“These results in hamsters may provide some insight into the development of seasonal affective disorders in humans,” Nelson told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. “They do suggest a relationship between season and symptoms of depression and anxiety.”
The study used 53 female and 48 male Siberian hamsters and the findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.
Related Shop Items
I’m glad that our furry friends can help us learn about how to beat seasonal affective disorders, but can you think of anything more pathetically sad than a depressed hamster? We gotta get these guys some sunlight.