Chadi Touma - Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie München

Dr. Chadi Touma
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry
Dept. of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Kraepelinstraße 2-10, D-80804 Munich, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 89-30622-228
Fax.: +49 (0) 89-30622-569
Email: touma@mpipsykl.mpg.de
Chadi Touma studied Biology and Biochemistry in Muenster and Hanover. He finished his
Diploma thesis dealing with the monitoring of oestrous cycles in two closely related South
American rodent species in 1999 at the Department of Behavioural Biology, University of
Muenster. His doctoral studies were supported by a Ph.D. grant from the “Studienstiftung
des deutschen Volkes” (German National Academic Foundation) and focussed on the
development, validation and application of a non-invasive technique to monitor stress
hormones in mice (Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Norbert Sachser, Cooperation partner: Prof. Dr.
Rupert Palme from the Institute of Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna).
He graduated with ’summa cum laude’ in summer 2003 and is currently working as
scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich (Department of Behavioural
Neuroendocrinology, Group of Prof. Dr. Rainer Landgraf). Current research projects
encompass investigations to elucidate molecular-genetic, neuroendocrine and behavioural
mechanisms underlying affective disorders (focus: anxiety and depression, animal model:
different selectively bred mouse lines). Furthermore, he is engaged in the development
and validation of non-invasive techniques to monitor stress hormone metabolites in faecal
samples of different laboratory and wildlife species.
Publications:
Journal Articles
Touma C, Fenzl T, Ruschel J, Palme R, Holsboer F, Kimura M, Landgraf R (2009):
Rhythmicity in mice selected for extremes in stress reactivity: behavioural,
endocrine and sleep changes resembling endophenotypes of major depression.
PLoS ONE 4 (1): e4325.

Blottner D, Serradj N, Salanova M, Touma C, Palme R, Silva M, Aerts JM, Berckmans D,
Vico L, Liu Y, Guiliani A, Rustichelli F, Cancedda R, Jamon M (2009):
Morphological, physiological and behavioural evaluation of a ‘Mice in Space’
housing system. Journal of Comparative Physiology B in press.
Ibarguen-Vargas Y, Surget A, Touma C, Palme R, Blezung C (2008): Multifaceted strainspecific
effects in a mouse model of depression and of antidepressant reversal.
Psychoneuroendocrinology 33: 1357-1368.
Touma C, Bunck M, Glasl L, Nussbaumer M, Palme R, Stein H, Wolferstätter M, Zeh R,
Zimbelmann M, Holsboer F, Landgraf R (2008): Mice selected for high versus low
stress reactivity: a new animal model for affective disorders. Psychoneuroendocrinology
33: 839-862.
Lepschy M, Rettenbacher S, Touma C, Palme R (2008): Excretion of catecholamines in
rats, mice and chicken. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 178: 629-636.
Richter H, Ambrée O, Lewejohann L, Herring A, Keyvani K, Paulus W, Palme R, Touma
C, Schäbitz WR, Sachser N (2008): Wheel running in a transgenic mouse model of
Alzheimer’s disease: protection or symptom? Behavioral Brain Research 190: 74-
84.
Lepschy M, Touma C, Hruby R, Palme R (2007): Non-invasive measurement of
adrenocortical activity in male and female rats. Laboratory Animals 41: 372-387.
Dallmann R, Touma C, Palme R, Albrecht U, Steinlechner S (2006): Impaired daily
glucocorticoid rhythm in Per1 Brd and Per2 Brd mice. Journal of Comparative
Physiology A 192: 769-775.
Voigtländer T, Unterberger U, Touma C, Palme R, Polster B, Strohschneider M, Dorner S,
Budka H (2006): Prominent corticosteroid disturbance in experimental prion
disease. European Journal of Neuroscience 23: 2723-2730.
Ambrée O, Touma C, Görtz N, Keyvani K, Paulus W, Palme R, Sachser N (2006): Activity
changes and marked stereotypic behavior precede Aβ pathology in TgCRND8
Alzheimer mice. Neurobiology of Aging 27: 955-964.
Touma C, Palme R (2005): Measuring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in mammals and
birds: the importance of validation. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
1046: 54-74. (review paper)
Palme R., Rettenbacher S, Touma C, El Bahr S, Möstl E (2005): Stress hormones in
mammals and birds: Comparative aspects regarding metabolism, excretion and
noninvasive measurement in fecal samples. In: Trends in Comparative
Endocrinology and Neurobiology. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
1040: 162-171.
Touma C, Ambrée O, Görtz N, Keyvani K, Lewejohann L, Palme R, Paulus W, Schwarze-
Eicker K, Sachser N (2004): Age- and sex-dependent development of
adrenocortical hyperactivity in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
Neurobiology of Aging 25: 893-904.

Touma C, Palme R, Sachser N (2004): Analyzing corticosterone metabolites in fecal
samples of mice: a noninvasive technique to monitor stress hormones. Hormones
and Behavior 45: 10-22.
Touma C, Sachser N, Möstl E, Palme R (2003): Effects of sex and time of day on
metabolism and excretion of corticosterone in urine and feces of mice. General and
Comparative Endocrinology 130: 267-278.
Touma C, Palme R, Sachser N (2001): Different types of oestrous cycles in two closely
related South American rodents (Cavia aperea and Galea musteloides) differing in
social and mating systems. Reproduction 121: 791-801.
Book Chapters and Editorials
Hambsch B, Czibere L, Landgraf R, Touma C (2009): Genetic transmission of behavior
and its neuroendocrine correlates. In: Pfaff D, Arnold AP, Etgen AM, Fahrbach SE,
Rubin RT (Eds.): Hormones, Brain and Behavior 2 nd ed., Elsevier Science, San
Diego CA, USA pp. (in press).
Kaiser S, Touma C, Galert T, Würbel H (2008): Animal suffering – fact or fiction? In: Müller
K, Sachser N (Eds.): Theology Meets Biology – Anthropological Perspectives on
Animals and Human Beings. Pustet Verlag, Regensburg, pp. 123-136.
Jömann N, Junker C, Touma C (Eds.) (2004): Religion - wieso, weshalb, warum? Zur
Funktion von Religion aus soziologischer, biologischer, philosophischer und
theologischer Sicht. Reihe: Edition KSHG, Bd. 3, 160 Seiten, LIT Verlag Münster-
Hamburg-Berlin-Wien-London.
Touma C, Kurt F (2001): Ethologische Untersuchungen zur Musth bei Elefantenbullen in
Menschenhand. In: Kurt F (Ed.): Elefant in Menschenhand – Forschungsberichte
aus Sri Lanka. Filander Verlag, Fürth, pp. 185-196.
Published Abstracts of Posters and Oral Contributions
Touma C, Knapman A, Palme R, Holsboer F, Landgraf R (2008): Mice selected for
extremes in stress reactivity: modelling clinically relevant endophenotypes of major
depression. Proceedings of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC
357.1/CC3. (Poster)
Wolferstätter M, Glasl L, Marwedel AL, Bunck M, Landgraf R, Touma C (2007): Linking
cognitive abilities and stress reactivity: insights from the HR/IR/LR mouse model.
Pharmacopsychiatry 40: 218. (Poster)

Nicholson A, Malcolm R, Russ P, Cough K, Palme R, Touma C, Wiles M (2007):
Physiological responses to increased housing density in C57BL/6J mice. Journal of
the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 46: 92. (Poster)
Touma C, Bunck M, Stein H, Zeh R, Landgraf R (2006): Mice selected for high or low
stress reactivity: a new animal model for affective disorders. Frontiers in
Neuroendocrinology 27: 56. (Poster)
Frank E, Kessler MS, Bunck M, Czibere L, Touma C, Landgraf R (2006): Freely
segregating genes – a link to anxiety and depression. Hormones 5, Supplement 1,
pp. 84. (Poster)
Touma C, Bunck M, Keßler M, Nußbaumer M, Landgraf R (2005): Mice selected for high
or low stress reactivity: a proposed model for affective disorders.
Pharmacopsychiatry 38: 281. (Poster)
Ambrée O, Görtz N, Keyvani K, Lewejohann L, Palme R, Paulus W, Touma C, Sachser N
(2005): Early behavioural and hormonal alterations in TgCRND8 Alzheimer mice. In:
Hossmann K.A. (ed.): Neurovisionen 2 - Perspektiven in NRW. Verlag Ferdinand
Schöningh, Paderborn: 194-195. (Poster)
Touma C, Sachser N, Möstl E, Palme R (2005): Non-invasive monitoring of stress
hormones in mice: a technique opening new perspectives in biomedical and animal
welfare research. ALTEX 22, Supplement, pp. 56. (Talk)
Touma C, Ambrée O, Görtz N, Isenberg S, Keyvani K, Lewejohann L, Palme R, Paulus W,
Schwarze-Eicker K, Sachser N (2004): Behavioral and endocrine alterations in a
mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease: early indicators of neuropathological
changes? Hormones and Behavior 46: 103. (Poster)
Touma C, Palme R, Sachser N (2004): Non-invasive monitoring of stress hormones in
mice: a technique opening new perspectives in biomedical and animal welfare
research. In: Contributions to the UFAW Symposium on Science in the Service of
Animal Welfare, Edinburgh, UK, Animal Welfare 13, Supplement, pp. S256-257.
(Poster)
Touma, C, Palme, R, Sachser, N (2003): Analysing stress hormone metabolites in faecal
samples of mice: a non-invasive technique opening new perspectives in biomedical
and animal welfare research. ALTEX 20: 204. (Talk)
Sachser N, Ambrée O, Görtz N, Keyvani K, Lewejohann L, Palme R, Paulus W, Touma C
(2003): Behavioral and endocrinological characterization of a transgenic mouse
model of the Alzheimer disease. Hormones and Behavior 44: 73-74. (Poster)
Touma C, Palme R, Möstl E, Sachser N (2002): Non-invasive monitoring of stress
hormones in mice by analysing faecal corticosterone metabolites. In: Contributions
to the 4 th International Symposium on Physiology and Behaviour of Wild and Zoo
Animals, Berlin, Advances in Ethology 37, Supplements to Ethology, pp. 175. (Talk)
Touma C, Sachser N, Möstl E, Palme R (2002): Analysis of faecal glucocorticoid
metabolites: A non-invasive technique to monitor adrenocortical activity in

laboratory mice. In: Contributions to the 4 th World Congress on Stress, Edinburgh,
UK, Stress 5, Supplement, pp. 69. (Poster)
Palme R, Touma C, Sachser N, Möstl E (2001): Glucokortikoidausscheidung bei
Labormäusen: Möglichkeit einer nicht-invasiven Erfassung von Belastungen.
ALTEX 18: 207-208. (Poster)
Touma C, Palme R, Sachser N (2001): Monitoring of oestrous cycles by analysing faecal
hormones in two rodent species. In: Contributions to the XXVII International
Ethological Conference, Tübingen, Advances in Ethology 36, Supplements to
Ethology, pp 277. (Talk)
Touma C, Palme R, Sachser N (2001): Analysis of faecal hormones: A non-invasive
technique to monitor reproductive cycles in two rodent species. Zoology 104,
Supplement IV (DZG 94.1), pp. 9. (Talk)
Touma C, Palme R, Sachser N (2000): Non-invasive monitoring of reproductive cycles in
two closely related South American rodent species. In: Contributions to the 3 rd
International Symposium on Physiology and Ethology of Wild and Zoo Animals,
Berlin, Advances in Ethology 35, Supplements to Ethology, pp. 105. (Talk)
Touma C, Kaiser S, Palme R, Sachser N (2000): Different types of oestrous cycles in two
closely related rodent species differing in social and mating system. Zoology 103,
Supplement III (DZG 93.1), pp. 37. (Poster)
Touma C, Asher M, Sachser N (1998): Social structure in a group of Vietnam Sika deer in
the Allwetterzoo Münster. In: Contributions to the 2 nd International Symposium on
Physiology and Ethology of Wild and Zoo Animals, Berlin, Advances in Ethology 33,
Supplements to Ethology, pp. 45. (Poster)