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Wang Y, Zhang Y, Wu X, Ren C, Zhang Z, Yang Q, Li X, Chen G. Feasibility of applying a noninvasive method for sleep monitoring based on mouse behaviors. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3311. [PMID: 37932957 PMCID: PMC10726919 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Currently, electroencephalogram (EEG)/electromyogram (EMG) system is widely regarded as the "golden standard" for sleep monitoring. Imperfectly, its invasive monitoring may somehow interfere with the natural state of sleep. Up to now, noninvasive methods for sleep monitoring have developed, which could preserve the undisturbed and naïve sleep state of mice to the greatest extent, but the feasibility of their application under different conditions should be extensive validated. METHODS Based on existing research, we verified the feasibility of a sleep monitoring system based on mouse behaviors under different conditions. The experimental mice were exposed to various stresses and placed into a combined device comprising noninvasive sleep monitoring equipment and an EEG/EMG system, and the sleep status was recorded under different physiological, pharmacological, and pathophysiological conditions. The consistency of the parameters obtained from the different systems was calculated using the Bland-Altman statistical method. RESULTS The results demonstrated that the physiological sleep times determined by noninvasive sleep monitoring system were highly consistent with those obtained from the EEG/EMG system, and the coefficients were 94.4% and 95.1% in C57BL/6J and CD-1 mice, respectively. The noninvasive sleep monitoring system exhibited high sensitivity under the sleep-promoting effect of diazepam and caffeine-induced wakefulness, which was indicated by its ability to detect the effect of dosage on sleep times, and accurate determination of the sleep/wakeful status of mice under different pathophysiological conditions. After combining the data obtained from all the mice, the coefficient between the sleep times detected by behavior-based sleep monitoring system and those obtained from the EEG/EMG equipment was determined to .94. CONCLUSION The results suggested that behavior-based sleep monitoring system could accurately evaluate the sleep/wakeful states of mice under different conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya‐Tao Wang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders)The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
| | - Yue‐Ming Zhang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders)The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
| | - Xu Wu
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiP. R. China
| | - Chong‐Yang Ren
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders)The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
- Departments of Anesthesiology, General Practice, or Critical CareThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
| | - Zhe‐Zhe Zhang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders)The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
| | - Qi‐Gang Yang
- Departments of Anesthesiology, General Practice, or Critical CareThe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
| | - Xue‐Yan Li
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders)The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
| | - Gui‐Hai Chen
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders)The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiAnhuiP. R. China
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A circuit from the ventral subiculum to anterior hypothalamic nucleus GABAergic neurons essential for anxiety-like behavioral avoidance. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7464. [PMID: 36463200 PMCID: PMC9719513 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35211-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral observations suggest a connection between anxiety and predator defense, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Here we examine the role of the anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHN), a node in the predator defense network, in anxiety-like behaviors. By in vivo recordings in male mice, we find that activity of AHN GABAergic (AHNVgat+) neurons shows individually stable increases when animals approach unfamiliar objects in an open field (OF) or when they explore the open-arm of an elevated plus-maze (EPM). Moreover, object-evoked AHN activity overlap with predator cue responses and correlate with the object and open-arm avoidance. Crucially, exploration-triggered optogenetic inhibition of AHNVgat+ neurons reduces object and open-arm avoidance. Furthermore, retrograde viral tracing identifies the ventral subiculum (vSub) of the hippocampal formation as a significant input to AHNVgat+ neurons in driving avoidance behaviors in anxiogenic situations. Thus, convergent activation of AHNVgat+ neurons serves as a shared mechanism between anxiety and predator defense to promote behavioral avoidance.
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Exploratory drive, fear, and anxiety are dissociable and independent components in foraging mice. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:318. [PMID: 34039953 PMCID: PMC8155035 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01458-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety-like behavior of rodents is frequently accompanied by reduced exploration. Here, we identify dissociable components of anxiety, fear, and exploratory drive of sated and foraging mice. With the help of behavioral assays, including the open field task, elevated plus maze, dark-light transition task, and beetle mania task, we demonstrate a general increase in exploration by food restriction. Food-restricted mice bred for high anxiety behavior (HAB) showed ameliorated anxiety- but not fear-related behavior. By means of principal component analysis, we identified three independent components, which resemble the behavioral dimensions proposed by Gray's Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (approach behavior, avoidance behavior, and decision making). Taken together, we demonstrate anxiolytic consequences of food restriction in a mouse model of anxiety disorders that can be dissociated from a general increase in foraging behavior.
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St-Cyr S, McGowan PO. Adaptation or pathology? The role of prenatal stressor type and intensity in the developmental programing of adult phenotype. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 66:113-124. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Rampin O, Jerôme N, Saint-Albin A, Ouali C, Boué F, Meunier N, Nielsen BL. Where is the TMT? GC-MS analyses of fox feces and behavioral responses of rats to fear-inducing odors. Chem Senses 2017; 43:105-115. [DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjx075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Heinz DE, Genewsky A, Wotjak CT. Enhanced anandamide signaling reduces flight behavior elicited by an approaching robo-beetle. Neuropharmacology 2017; 126:233-241. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Lerch S, Dormann C, Brandwein C, Gass P, Chourbaji S. The scent of stress: environmental challenge in the peripartum environment of mice affects emotional behaviours of the adult offspring in a sex-specific manner. Lab Anim 2015; 50:167-78. [PMID: 26408077 DOI: 10.1177/0023677215603260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Early adverse experiences are known to influence the risk of developing psychiatric disorders later. To shed further light on the development of laboratory mice, we systematically examined the influence of a prenatal or postnatal olfactory stressor, namely unfamiliar male mouse faeces, presented to pregnant or nursing mouse dams. Maternal and offspring behaviours were then examined. Maternal behaviours relative to controls revealed changes in nest building by the pregnant dams exposed to the unfamiliar faeces. There were no differences among groups on pup retrieval or exploration by the dams. Behavioural phenotyping of male and female offspring as adults included measures of exploration, anxiety, social and depressive-like behaviours. Additionally, serum corticosterone was assessed as a marker of physiological stress response. Group differences were dependent on the sex of the adult offspring. Males raised by dams that were stressed during pregnancy presented elevated emotionality as indicated by increased numbers of faecal boluses in the open field paradigm. Consistent with the effects of prenatal stress on the males only the prenatally stressed females had higher body weights than their respective controls. Indeed, males in both experimental groups had higher circulating corticosterone levels. By contrast, female offspring of dams exposed to the olfactory stressor after parturition were more anxious in the O-maze as indicated by increased latencies in entering the exposed areas of the maze. These findings emphasize the necessity for researchers to consider the pre- and postnatal environments, even of mice with almost identical genetic backgrounds, in designing experiments and interpreting their data.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Lerch
- Interfaculty Biomedical Research Facility (IBF), University of Heidelberg, Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C Dormann
- Interfaculty Biomedical Research Facility (IBF), University of Heidelberg, Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C Brandwein
- Interfaculty Biomedical Research Facility (IBF), University of Heidelberg, Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - P Gass
- Interfaculty Biomedical Research Facility (IBF), University of Heidelberg, Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - S Chourbaji
- Interfaculty Biomedical Research Facility (IBF), University of Heidelberg, Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
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Wernecke KEA, Fendt M. The olfactory hole-board test in rats: a new paradigm to study aversion and preferences to odors. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:223. [PMID: 26379516 PMCID: PMC4548150 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Odors of biological relevance (e.g., predator odors, sex odors) are known to effectively influence basic survival needs of rodents such as anti-predatory defensiveness and mating behaviors. Research focused on the effects of these odors on rats’ behavior mostly includes multi-trial paradigms where animals experience single odor exposures in subsequent, separated experimental sessions. In the present study, we introduce a modification of the olfactory hole-board test that allows studying the effects of different odors on rats’ behavior within single trials. First, we demonstrated that the corner holes of the hole-board were preferentially visited by rats. The placement of different odors under the corner holes changed this hole preference. We showed that holes with carnivore urine samples were avoided, while corner holes with female rat urine samples were preferred. Furthermore, corner holes with urine samples from a carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore were differentially visited indicating that rats can discriminate these odors. To test whether anxiolytic treatment specifically modulates the avoidance of carnivore urine holes, we treated rats with buspirone. Buspirone treatment completely abolished the avoidance of carnivore urine holes. Taken together, our findings indicate that the olfactory hole-board test is a valuable tool for measuring avoidance and preference responses to biologically relevant odors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin E A Wernecke
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany ; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Fendt
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany ; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences Magdeburg, Germany
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Sharma A, Rale A, Utturwar K, Ghose A, Subhedar N. Identification of the CART neuropeptide circuitry processing TMT-induced predator stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 50:194-208. [PMID: 25233338 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2014] [Revised: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Abundance of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) neuropeptide in the limbic areas like the olfactory system, central nucleus of amygdala (CeA), ventral bed nucleus of stria terminalis (vBNST) and the hypothalamus suggests involvement of the peptide in emotive processing. We examined the role of CART in mediating fear, a strong emotion with profound survival value. Rats, exposed to 2,4,5-trimethyl-3-thiazoline (TMT), a predator related cue extracted from fox feces, showed significant increase in freezing, escape and risk assessment behavior, whereas grooming was reduced. Neuronal activity was up-regulated in the CeA and vBNST in terms of increased immunoreactivity in CART elements and c-Fos expression. Increased expression of both the markers was also seen in some discrete magnocellular as well as parvicellular subdivisions of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). However, CART containing mitral cells in the main or accessory olfactory bulb did not respond. CART antibody was stereotaxically injected bilaterally into the CeA to locally immunoneutralize endogenous CART. On exposure to TMT, these rats showed reduced freezing, risk assessment and escape behavior while grooming was restored to normal value. We suggest that the CART signaling in the CeA and vBNST, but not in the olfactory system, might be an important component of the innate fear processing, and expression of stereotypic behavior, while CART in the PVN subdivisions might mediate the neuroendocrine response to predator stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anju Sharma
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India
| | - Abhishek Rale
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India
| | - Kaweri Utturwar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India
| | - Aurnab Ghose
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India.
| | - Nishikant Subhedar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008, India.
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Sotnikov S, Wittmann A, Bunck M, Bauer S, Deussing J, Schmidt M, Touma C, Landgraf R, Czibere L. Blunted HPA axis reactivity reveals glucocorticoid system dysbalance in a mouse model of high anxiety-related behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 48:41-51. [PMID: 24995583 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Revised: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Depression and anxiety disorders are often characterized by altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis re-/activity. However, the presence of a molecular link between dysbalanced neuroendocrine regulation and psychopathologies is not yet fully established. Earlier, we reported that high (HAB), normal (NAB) and low (LAB) anxiety-related behavior mice express divergent anxiety-related and passive/active coping phenotypes. Here, we studied mechanisms that might contribute to the different HPA axis reactivity observed in HAB, NAB and LAB mice and their involvement in the regulation of anxiety-related behavior and passive/active coping style. We found that HAB mice respond with significantly reduced corticosterone (CORT) secretion to an acute stressful stimulus and a blunted response in the Dex/CRH test compared to NAB and LAB mice. At the molecular level, higher expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR/Nr3c1) and decreased corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) expression were observed in the pituitary of HAB mice. We further analyzed whether these stress mediators differed between the HAB, NAB and LAB lines in limbic system-associated brain regions and whether their interplay contributes to the phenotype. Interestingly, not only in the pituitary but also in almost all brain regions investigated, GR expression was significantly higher in HAB mice. In contrast, the amount of CORT in the brain structures analyzed was significantly lower in these animals. The expression of CRHR1 varied in the prefrontal cortex only. Since glucocorticoids regulate both GR and CRHR1, we treated HAB and NAB mice chronically with CORT. After 6 weeks of administration, reduced anxiety- and depression-like behaviors were observed in HAB mice, whereas increased anxiety was found in NABs. In both groups, GR, but not CRHR1, were significantly reduced. Taken together, our study proposes HAB mice as an animal model of simultaneous features of increased anxiety-related and depression-like behaviors with blunted HPA axis reactivity suggesting a dysregulated GR/CORT system as one key mechanism behind their phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Sotnikov
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Normal Physiology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Anke Wittmann
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Mirjam Bunck
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Sabrina Bauer
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Jan Deussing
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Group Molecular Neurogenetics, Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | - Chadi Touma
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | | | - Ludwig Czibere
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
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Sotnikov SV, Chekmareva NY, Schmid B, Harbich D, Malik V, Bauer S, Kuehne C, Markt PO, Deussing JM, Schmidt MV, Landgraf R. Enriched environment impacts trimethylthiazoline-induced anxiety-related behavior and immediate early gene expression: critical role ofCrhr1. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 40:2691-700. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2013] [Revised: 03/15/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. V. Sotnikov
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
- Department of Normal Physiology; Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University; Moscow Russia
| | - N. Y. Chekmareva
- Department of Normal Physiology; Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University; Moscow Russia
- P.K. Anokhin Institute of Normal Physiology; Russian Academy of Medical Sciences; Moscow Russia
| | - B. Schmid
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
| | - D. Harbich
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
| | - V. Malik
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
| | - S. Bauer
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
| | - C. Kuehne
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
| | - P. O. Markt
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
| | - J. M. Deussing
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Group Molecular Neurogenetics; Institute of Developmental Genetics; Helmholtz Center Munich; Neuherberg Germany
| | - M. V. Schmidt
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
| | - R. Landgraf
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry; Kraepelinstrasse 2 80804 Munich Germany
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Füchsl AM, Neumann ID, Reber SO. Stress resilience: a low-anxiety genotype protects male mice from the consequences of chronic psychosocial stress. Endocrinology 2014; 155:117-26. [PMID: 24169562 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress is a risk factor for the development of affective as well as somatic disorders. However, vulnerability to adverse stress effects varies between individuals, with previous negative life events along with genetic predisposition playing a major role. In support, we previously showed that the consequences of chronic psychosocial stress induced by chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC, 19 days) can be amplified by pre-exposing mice to repeated maternal separation during early life. To test the significance of the genetic predisposition on the effects of CSC, mice selectively bred for high (mHAB) and low (mLAB) anxiety-related behavior and nonselected CD1 mice (mNAB) were exposed to CSC in the present study. In confirmation of our previous results, CSC mice of both mHAB and mNAB lines displayed chronic stress-related symptoms including increased adrenal weight, decreased adrenal in vitro ACTH sensitivity, lower plasma corticosterone to ACTH ratio, and increased interferon-γ secretion from isolated mesenteric lymph node cells compared with single-housed controls of the respective line. However, the CSC-induced anxiogenic effect found in mNAB was not confirmed in mHAB mice, possibly due to a ceiling effect in these highly anxious mice. Interestingly, mHAB were not more vulnerable to CSC than mNAB mice, whereas mLAB mice were resilient to CSC as indicated by all of the above mentioned parameters assessed. Taken together, our findings indicate that the genetic predisposition, in this case the innate anxiety of an individual, affects vulnerability to chronic psychosocial stress, with a low-anxiety phenotype mediating resilience to both affective and somatic consequences of CSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Füchsl
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology (A.M.F., I.D.N., S.O.R.), University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; and Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics (S.O.R.), Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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Rapid innate defensive responses of mice to looming visual stimuli. Curr Biol 2013; 23:2011-5. [PMID: 24120636 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 319] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Revised: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 08/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Much of brain science is concerned with understanding the neural circuits that underlie specific behaviors. While the mouse has become a favorite experimental subject, the behaviors of this species are still poorly explored. For example, the mouse retina, like that of other mammals, contains ∼20 different circuits that compute distinct features of the visual scene [1, 2]. By comparison, only a handful of innate visual behaviors are known in this species--the pupil reflex [3], phototaxis [4], the optomotor response [5], and the cliff response [6]--two of which are simple reflexes that require little visual processing. We explored the behavior of mice under a visual display that simulates an approaching object, which causes defensive reactions in some other species [7, 8]. We show that mice respond to this stimulus either by initiating escape within a second or by freezing for an extended period. The probability of these defensive behaviors is strongly dependent on the parameters of the visual stimulus. Directed experiments identify candidate retinal circuits underlying the behavior and lead the way into detailed study of these neural pathways. This response is a new addition to the repertoire of innate defensive behaviors in the mouse that allows the detection and avoidance of aerial predators.
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Wang Q, Yu K, Wang J, Lin H, Wu Y, Wang W. Predator stress-induced persistent emotional arousal is associated with alterations of plasma corticosterone and hippocampal steroid receptors in rat. Behav Brain Res 2012; 230:167-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.01.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2011] [Revised: 01/24/2012] [Accepted: 01/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Barnum CJ, Pace TWW, Hu F, Neigh GN, Tansey MG. Psychological stress in adolescent and adult mice increases neuroinflammation and attenuates the response to LPS challenge. J Neuroinflammation 2012; 9:9. [PMID: 22248083 PMCID: PMC3283491 DOI: 10.1186/1742-2094-9-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2011] [Accepted: 01/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is ample evidence that psychological stress adversely affects many diseases. Recent evidence has shown that intense stressors can increase inflammation within the brain, a known mediator of many diseases. However, long-term outcomes of chronic psychological stressors that elicit a neuroinflammatory response remain unknown. Methods To address this, we have modified previously described models of rat/mouse predatory stress (PS) to increase the intensity of the interaction. We postulated that these modifications would enhance the predator-prey experience and increase neuroinflammation and behavioral dysfunction in prey animals. In addition, another group of mice were subjected to a modified version of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS), an often-used model of chronic stress that utilizes a combination of stressors that include physical, psychological, chemical, and other. The CUS model has been shown to exacerbate a number of inflammatory-related diseases via an unknown mechanism. Using these two models we sought to determine: 1) whether chronic PS or CUS modulated the inflammatory response as a proposed mechanism by which behavioral deficits might be mediated, and 2) whether chronic exposure to a pure psychological stressor (PS) leads to deficits similar to those produced by a CUS model containing psychological and physical stressors. Finally, to determine whether acute PS has neuroinflammatory consequences, adult mice were examined at various time-points after PS for changes in inflammation. Results Adolescent mice subjected to chronic PS had increased basal expression of inflammation within the midbrain. CUS and chronic PS mice also had an impaired inflammatory response to a subsequent lipopolysaccharide challenge and PS mice displayed increased anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors following chronic stress. Finally, adult mice subjected to acute predatory stress had increased gene expression of inflammatory factors. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that predatory stress, an ethologically relevant stressor, can elicit changes in neuroinflammation and behavior. The predatory stress model may be useful in elucidating mechanisms by which psychological stress modulates diseases with an inflammatory component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Barnum
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Emory University, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30324, USA.
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