Feather picking disorder and trichotillomania: an avian model of human psychopathology.

Animal models of psychopathology have been extremely valuable in conceptualizing various human disorders. The human condition known as trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling) has considerable similarities with an avian disorder called feather picking, with respect to analogous behavior, proposed etiologies, evoking cues, response to behavior therapy, and response to pharmacological treatments based on serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. We suggest that feather picking disorder has the potential to be a useful animal model of trichotillomania, and lends itself to studies on the experimental psychopathology of compulsive hair pulling.