Conditioning properties of social subordination in rats: behavioral and biochemical correlates of anxiety

Hormones and Behavior
Maria RazzoliFabrizio Bacchi

Abstract

To develop a socially based model of anxiety, the contextual fear conditioning properties of social defeat were examined in rats. Social threat consisted of exposing intruders to aggressive residents in resident home cage, separated by a partition. During 3 daily encounters, intruders were either defeated or threatened by residents, providing the defeated-threatened (DT) and threatened-threatened (TT) groups respectively. On Day 4, both DT and TT animals were subjected to a social threat only. Additional animals received a 4-day exposure to a novel empty cage (EC group). Further DT, TT, and EC rats were confronted to a different context on Day 4. DT rats exhibited a robust and context-specific anxiety-like response, characterized by significant behavioral and biochemical alterations. DT rats showed increased risk assessment and decreased exploration compared to TT and EC rats that in turn were not different towards each other. DT and TT rats exhibited increased ACTH levels, while only DT rats showed enhanced corticosterone and decreased testosterone levels compared to EC. These differences were context-specific since they were absent confronting animals to a different context and since they were not long lasting. Overall, these...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 12, 2010·Behavioural Brain Research·Ashley DenmarkAllan V Kalueff
Apr 24, 2007·Journal of Psychiatric Research·Frederick R WalkerTrevor A Day
Mar 24, 2007·Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology·Alessandro Bartolomucci
Feb 6, 2013·Aggressive Behavior·Elizabeth C Jeffress, Kim L Huhman
Oct 25, 2016·Hormones and Behavior·Catherine T ClinardMatthew A Cooper
Sep 17, 2014·ILAR Journal·Fiona Hollis, Mohamed Kabbaj
Sep 21, 2017·Stress : the International Journal on the Biology of Stress·Javier I Borráz-LeónLilian Mayagoitia-Novales
Jan 1, 2009·Stress : the International Journal on the Biology of Stress·G M SingewaldS O Reber

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