Anxiety-like Behavior In Rats Research Articles

Single prolonged stress induces behavior and transcriptomic changes in the medial prefrontal cortex to increase susceptibility to anxiety-like behavior in rats.

Transcriptomic studies offer valuable insights into the pathophysiology of traumatic stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been implicated in emotion, cognitive function, and psychiatric disorders. Alterations in the function of mPFC have been observed in PTSD patients. However, the specific transcriptomic mechanisms governed by genes within the mPFC under traumatic stress remain elusive. In this study, we conducted transcriptome-wide RNA-seq analysis in the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) cortices. We employed the single prolonged stress (SPS) animal model to simulate anxiety-like behavior, which was assessed using the open field and elevated plus maze tests. We identified sixty-two differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (FDR adjusted p < 0.05) with significant expression changes in the PL and IL mPFC. In the PL cortex, DEGs in the susceptible group exhibited reduced enrichment for cellular, biological, and molecular functions such as postsynaptic density proteins, glutamatergic synapses, synapse formation, transmembrane transport proteins, and actin cytoskeleton reorganization. In contrast, the IL-susceptible group displayed diminished enrichment for synapse formation, neuronal activity, dendrite development, axon regeneration, learning processes, and glucocorticoid receptor binding compared to control and insusceptible groups. DEGs in the PL-susceptible group were enriched for Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways related to Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and neurodegeneration processes. In the IL cortex, the susceptible group demonstrated enrichment for KEGG pathways involved in regulating stress signaling pathways and addiction-like behaviors, compared to control and insusceptible groups. Our findings suggest that SPS activates distinct transcriptional and molecular pathways in PL and IL cortices of mPFC, enabling differential coping mechanisms in response to the effects of traumatic stress. The enhanced enrichment of identified KEGG pathways in the PL and IL mPFC may underlie the anxiety-like behavior observed in susceptible rats.

12207 A Two-hit Model Of Pcb Exposure And Immune Challenge, And Effects On Behaviors In Rats

Abstract Disclosure: S.E. Khoury: None. A. Hynes: None. L.K. Davis: None. L. Thompson: None. K. Sanchez: None. L. Fonken: None. A.C. Gore: None. This study evaluated how two common life experiences: exposures to environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and immune challenges, can act independently or in combination to affect social and anxiety-like behaviors in rats. The class of endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) used was polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a family of industrial chemicals that, despite their ban in the 1970s, are detectable in the body tissues of virtually all humans and animals today due to their persistence. Exposures to PCBs were given prenatally and in early postnatal life through feeding of rat dams, during hormone sensitive periods of brain development in the offspring. The immune challenge was given postnatally during adolescence through injection of lipopolysaccharide, to induce neuroinflammation. These challenges are individually associated with increased behavioral disorders in humans and rodent models, but how they interact is unknown. In this 2x2 design, rats received either PCBs or oil in early life, and LPS or saline in adolescence. The animals were then tested in a series of behavioral assays to assess for social and anxiety-like behaviors, including Open Field (OF), Juvenile Social Exploration (JSE), Three Chamber Social Test (TCST), Light Dark Box (LD), and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM). An effect of PCB was observed in OF center time. Interactions of EDC and LPS were found in aspects of EP, and TCST. Further work examining protein and gene expression in the hippocampus and hypothalamus is in progress and will help to elucidate the underlying biological mechanism of the observed behavioral changes. Presentation: 6/3/2024

Omeprazole affects the expression of serotonin-1A in the brain regions and alleviates anxiety in rat model of immobilization-induced stress.

Omeprazole, a drug of choice for the management of gastric hyperacidity, influences serotonergic neurotransmission in brain regions and its long-term use is known to cause stress-related behavioral deficits including anxiety. Aim of the current study was to explore the effects of omeprazole treatment on immobilization-induced anxiety in rats, specifically on the role of serotonin (5-HT). In view of the role of serotonin-1A (5-HT1A) autoreceptor in the availability of 5-HT in brain regions, mRNA expression of this autoreceptor was performed in raphe nuclei. Similarly, because of the role of hippocampal 5-HT neurotransmission in anxiety-like disorders, expression of the 5-HT1A heteroreceptors was determined in this region. We found that the treatment with omeprazole reduces anxiety-like behavior in rats, increases the expression of 5-HT1A autoreceptor in the raphe and decreases the hippocampal expression of 5-HT1A heteroreceptor. This suggests a role of 5-HT1A receptor types in omeprazole-induced behavioral changes. It also indicates a potential role of omeprazole in the management of serotonergic disorders.

Genistein inhibits Nlrp3/caspase-1 signalling to alleviate traumatic brain injury-induced anxiety-like behaviours in rats.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced anxiety is a common but under-investigated disorder, for which neuroinflammation is a significant contributor. Here we aim to investigate the protective effects of genistein, a plant-derived anti-inflammatory drug, against TBI-induced anxiety, and the underlying mechanisms. A rat model of TBI was constructed using the lateral fluid percussion injury method. Genistein at the doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg were used to treat rats at 30 min, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h up to 14 days after TBI. The evaluation of neurological deficit was performed preoperatively, on days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after TBI. The elevated plus maze test was carried out to assess anxiety and explorative behaviours, and the open field test was performed to assess locomotive activities. Brain injury was assessed by measuring brain water content and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling staining. Inflammatory responses were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein expression were analysed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. In the behavioural level, genistein treatment alleviated TBI-induced anxiety behaviours and neurological deficit in rats. In the meanwhile, brain oedema was also reduced by genistein treatment, showing alleviating effects of genistein at the pathological level. TUNEL staining also showed reduced apoptosis in rats treated with genistein. Genistein also inhibited Nlrp3/caspase-1 signalling, unveiling the effects of genistein in altering molecular pathways in brains with TBI. Genistein alleviates anxiety-like behaviours in TBI rats, which may be mediated via inhibiting Nlrp/caspase-1 signalling pathway.

The Possible Neuroprotective Effect of Caffeic Acid on Cognitive Changes and Anxiety-Like Behavior Occurring in Young Rats Fed on High-Fat Diet and Exposed to Chronic Stress: Role of β-Catenin/GSK-3B Pathway.

Lifestyle influences physical and cognitive development during the period of adolescence greatly. The most important of these lifestyle factors are diet and stress. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of high fat diet (HFD) and chronic mild stress on cognitive function and anxiety-like behaviors in young rats and to study the role of caffeic acid as a potential treatment for anxiety and cognitive dysfunction. Forty rats were assigned into 4 groups: control, HFD, HFD + stress, and caffeic acid-treated group. Rats were sacrificed after neurobehavioral testing. We detected memory impairment and anxiety-like behavior in rats which were more exaggerated in stressed rats. Alongside the behavioral changes, there were biochemical and histological changes. HFD and/or stress decreased hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and induced oxidative and inflammatory changes in the hippocampus. In addition, they suppressed Wnt/β-catenin pathway which was associated with activation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β). HFD and stress increased arginase 1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels as well. These disturbances were found to be aggravated in stressed rats than HFD group. However, caffeic acid was able to reverse these deteriorations leading to memory improvement and ameliorating anxiety-like behavior. So, the current study highlights an important neuroprotective role for caffeic acid that may guard against induction of cognitive dysfunction and anxiety disorders in adolescents who are exposed to HFD and/or stress.

Dietary Vitamin B6 Deficiency and Gut Microbiota Depletion Can Lead to Anxiety-Like Behavior in Rats

Dietary Vitamin B6 Deficiency and Gut Microbiota Depletion Can Lead to Anxiety-Like Behavior in Rats

Effects of prenatal exposure to methadone or buprenorphine and maternal separation on anxiety-like behavior in rats

BackgroundThe use of medications for opioid use disorder such as methadone or buprenorphine is increasing among pregnant women. However, long-term effects of this treatment on the children’s health are not well understood. A key challenge is distinguishing the effects of opioid exposure from other confounding factors associated with human opioid use, such as reduced maternal care. In this study, we therefore used a multi-risk factor design to examine anxiety-like behavior in rats prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine, with or without maternal separation the first two weeks after birth. MethodsFemale Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to methadone (10mg/kg/day), buprenorphine (1mg/kg/day) or sterile water throughout gestation. Half of the offspring in each litter experienced maternal separation for 3h per day from postnatal day 2 to 12. Male and female offspring (6–9 weeks) were tested in the open field, light-dark transition and elevated plus maze tests to assess anxiety-like behavior. ResultsOffspring exposed to buprenorphine and not subjected to maternal separation displayed increased anxiety-like behavior in 3 out of 6 outcomes in the light-dark transition and elevated plus maze tests. Maternal separation did not exacerbate, but rather diminished this behavior. Males and females responded differently to methadone, with a trend towards reduced anxiety for males and increased anxiety for females. ConclusionsPrenatal exposure to methadone or buprenorphine may increase the risk of developing anxiety-like behavior later in life, but the effect depends on specific subgroup characteristics. Further research is required to draw definitive conclusions.

Chronic caffeine decreases anxiety-like behavior in the marble burying task in adolescent rats.

Exposure to chronic caffeine during adolescence has been shown to produce decreased anxiety-like behaviors in rats as well as decreased immobility in the forced swim test (FST) suggesting an antidepressant-like effect. The effects of chronic caffeine on anxiety, however, have been found to be test-dependent and sexually dimorphic. In addition, decreased immobility in the FST has been argued to reflect a shift toward active coping behavior as opposed to an antidepressant-like effect. In order to further characterize the effects of adolescent caffeine exposure, the present experiment assessed the effects of caffeine on marble burying behavior in a two-zone marble burying task. There was no difference in the amount of time rats spent in the two zones failing to support a shift in coping strategy. Caffeine-exposed rats spent less time engaged in marble burying activity and buried slightly fewer marbles, suggesting an anxiolytic effect of caffeine. In addition, caffeine treated rats spent less time engaged in nondirected burying and slightly more time actively engaging with the marbles; however, these effects appeared to be sexually dimorphic as they were driven by larger changes in the females. Overall, these results support an anxiolytic effect of adolescent caffeine, with female behavior appearing to be more affected by caffeine than males.

Impaired neuronal macroautophagy in the prelimbic cortex contributes to comorbid anxiety-like behaviors in rats with chronic neuropathic pain

ABSTRACT A large proportion of patients with chronic pain experience co-morbid anxiety. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is proposed to underlie this comorbidity, but the molecular and neuronal mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we reported that impaired neuronal macroautophagy in the prelimbic cortical (PrL) subregion of the mPFC paralleled the occurrence of anxiety-like behaviors in rats with chronic spared nerve injury (SNI). Intriguingly, such macroautophagy impairment was mainly observed in a FOS/c-Fos+ neuronal subpopulation in the PrL. Chemogenetic inactivation of this comorbid anxiety-related neuronal ensemble relieved pain-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Rescuing macroautophagy impairment in this neuronal ensemble relieved chronic pain-associated anxiety and mechanical allodynia and restored synaptic homeostasis at the molecular level. By contrast, artificial disruption of macroautophagy induced early-onset co-morbid anxiety in neuropathic rats, but not general anxiety in normal rats. Taken together, our work identifies causal linkage between PrL neuronal macroautophagy dysfunction and comorbid anxiety in neuropathic pain and provides novel insights into the role of PrL by differentiating its contribution in pain-induced comorbid anxiety from its modulation over general anxiety-like behaviors. Abbreviation: AAV: adeno-associated viruses; ACC: anterior cingulate cortex; ATG5: autophagy related 5; ATG7: autophagy related 7; ATG12: autophagy related 12; CAMK2/CaMKII: calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II; CNO: clozapine-N-oxide; CQ: chloroquine; DIA: data independent acquisition; DIO: double floxed inverse orf; DLG4/PSD-95: discs large MAGUK scaffold protein 4; Dox: doxycycline; GABA: γ-aminobutyric acid; GFP: green fluorescent protein; GO: gene ontology; Gi: inhibitory guanine nucleotide-binding proteins; HsCHRM4/M4D: human cholinergic receptor muscarinic 4; HsSYN: human synapsin; KEGG: Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes; LAMP1: lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1; LC3-II: PE conjugated microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain3; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3; mPFC: medial prefrontal cortex; P2A: 2A self-cleaving peptide; PPI: protein-protein interaction networks; PrL: prelimbic cortex; RBFOX3/NeuN: RNA binding protein, fox-1 homolog (C. elegans) 3; rtTA: reverse tetracycline-transactivator; SDS-PAGE: sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; SHANK3: SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains 3; SLC1A1/EAAC1: solute carrier family 1 (neuronal/epithelial high affinity glutamate transporter, systemXag), member 1; SNAP23: synaptosomal-associated protein 23; SNI:spared nerve injury; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; SYT3: synaptotagmin 3; TRE: tetracycline-responsive element; TRE3G: third-generation tetracycline-responsive element.

Rodent tests of depression and anxiety: Construct validity and translational relevance

Behavioral testing constitutes the primary method to measure the emotional states of nonhuman animals in preclinical research. Emerging as the characteristic tool of the behaviorist school of psychology, behavioral testing of animals, particularly rodents, is employed to understand the complex cognitive and affective symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders. Following the symptom-based diagnosis model of the DSM, rodent models and tests of depression and anxiety focus on behavioral patterns that resemble the superficial symptoms of these disorders. While these practices provided researchers with a platform to screen novel antidepressant and anxiolytic drug candidates, their construct validity—involving relevant underlying mechanisms—has been questioned. In this review, we present the laboratory procedures used to assess depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors in rats and mice. These include constructs that rely on stress-triggered responses, such as behavioral despair, and those that emerge with nonaversive training, such as cognitive bias. We describe the specific behavioral tests that are used to assess these constructs and discuss the criticisms on their theoretical background. We review specific concerns about the construct validity and translational relevance of individual behavioral tests, outline the limitations of the traditional, symptom-based interpretation, and introduce novel, ethologically relevant frameworks that emphasize simple behavioral patterns. Finally, we explore behavioral monitoring and morphological analysis methods that can be integrated into behavioral testing and discuss how they can enhance the construct validity of these tests.

Dried lemon peel extract improves memory and reduces anxiety-like behavior in rats exposed to chronic immobilization

Dried lemon peel extract improves memory and reduces anxiety-like behavior in rats exposed to chronic immobilization

Neurotoxic lesions of the anterior claustrum influence cued fear memory in rats.

The claustrum (CLA), a subcortical area between the insular cortex and striatum, innervates almost all cortical regions of the mammalian brain. There is growing evidence that CLA participates in many brain functions, including memory, cognition, and stress response. It is proposed that dysfunction or malfunction of the CLA might be the pathology of some brain diseases, including stress-induced depression and anxiety. However, the role of the CLA in fear memory and anxiety disorders remains largely understudied. We evaluated the influences of neurotoxic lesions of the CLA using auditory-cued fear memory and anxiety-like behaviors in rats. We found that lesions of anterior CLA (aCLA) but not posterior CLA (pCLA) before fear conditioning attenuated fear retrieval, facilitated extinction, and reduced freezing levels during the extinction retention test. Post-learning lesions of aCLA but not pCLA facilitated fear extinction and attenuated freezing behavior during the extinction retention test. Lesions of aCLA or pCLA did not affect anxiety-like behaviors evaluated by the open field test and elevated plus-maze test. These data suggested that aCLA but not pCLA was involved in fear memory and extinction. Future studies are needed to further investigate the anatomical and functional connections of aCLA subareas that are involved in fear conditioning, which will deepen our understanding of CLA functions.

Impact of chronic lithium treatment on brain oxidative stress and anxiety-like behaviors in rats: Dose-dependent effects.

Lithium (Li) is a mood-stabilizing drug. Although one of the potential mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of lithium is related to its antioxidative effect, its mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Herein we aimed to investigate the impact of varied dosages of long-term lithium therapy on oxidative stress parameters in the brains of healthy rats, and on anxiety-like behaviors, and whether any changes in behavior can be attributed to modifications in oxidative stress levels within the brain. Thirty-two adult Wistar albino male rats were randomly assigned to four treatment groups. While the control (C) group was fed with a standard diet, low Li (1.4 g/kg/diet), moderate Li (1.8 g/kg/diet), and high Li (2.2 g/kg/diet) groups were fed with lithium bicarbonate (Li2CO3) for 30 days. Malondialdehyde increased, while superoxide dismutase and catalase levels decreased in the brains of the high Li group animals. In addition, anxiety-like behaviors of animals increased in the high Li group considering fewer entries to and less time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze test. Our findings underscore the potential adverse effects of prolonged lithium treatment, especially at doses approaching the upper therapeutic range. The induction of toxicity, manifested through heightened oxidative stress, appears to be a key mechanism contributing to the observed increase in anxiety-like behaviors. Consequently, caution is warranted when considering extended lithium therapy at higher doses, emphasizing the need for further research to delineate the precise mechanisms underlying these effects and to inform safer therapeutic practices.

Effects of pre-gestational exposure to the stressors and perinatal bupropion administration on the firing activity of serotonergic neurons and anxiety-like behavior in rats

Exposure by women to stressors before pregnancy increases their risk of contracting prenatal depression, a condition which typically may require antidepressant treatment. And even though such perinatal antidepressant treatment is generally considered to be safe. For the mother, its effects on the development and functioning of the offspring`s brain remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of pregestational chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) and perinatal bupropion on the anxiety behavior and firing activity of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) serotonin (5-HT) neurons. Female rats underwent CUS for three weeks before mating. Bupropion was administered to them from gestation day ten until their offspring were weaned. Behavioral (elevated plus maze or EPM test) and neurophysiological (single-unit in vivo electrophysiology) assessments were performed on offspring who reached the age of 48–56 days. We found that maternal CUS and perinatal bupropion, as separate factors on their own, did not change offspring behavior. There was, however, an interaction between their effects on the number of entries to the open arms and time spent in the intersection: maternal CUS tended to decrease these values, and perinatal bupropion tended to diminish CUS effect. Maternal CUS increased the firing activity of 5-HT neurons in males, but not females. Perinatal bupropion did not alter the firing activity of 5-HT neurons but tended to potentiate the maternal CUS-induced increase in 5-HT neuronal firing activity. The CUS-induced increase in firing activity of 5-HT neurons might be a compensatory mechanism that diminishes the negative effects of maternal stress. Perinatal bupropion does not alter the offspring`s anxiety and firing activity of 5-HT, but it does intervene in the effects of maternal stress.

A neural circuit associated with anxiety-like behaviors induced by chronic inflammatory pain and the anxiolytic effects of electroacupuncture.

Negative emotions induced by chronic pain are a serious clinical problem. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a clinically proven safe and effective method to manage pain-related negative emotions. However, the circuit mechanisms underlying the effect of EA treatment on negative emotions remain unclear. Plantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was performed to establish a rat model of chronic inflammatory pain-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) tracing was used to identify excitatory synaptic transmission from the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) to the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). Employing chemogenetic approaches, we examined the role of the rACC-DRN circuit in chronic pain-induced anxiety-like behaviors and investigated whether EA could reverse chronic pain-induced dysfunctions of the rACC-DRN circuit and anxiety-like behaviors. We found that chemogenetic activation of the rACC-DRN circuit alleviated CFA-induced anxiety-like behaviors, while chemogenetic inhibition of the rACC-DRN circuit resulted in short-term CFA-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Further research revealed that the development of CFA-induced anxiety-like behaviors was attributed to the dysfunction of rACC CaMKII neurons projecting to DRN serotonergic neurons (rACCCaMKII-DRN5-HT neurons) but not rACC CaMKII neurons projecting to DRN GABAergic neurons (rACCCaMKII-DRNGABA neurons). This is supported by the findings that chemogenetic activation of the rACCCaMKII-DRN5-HT circuit alleviates anxiety-like behaviors in rats with chronic pain, whereas neither chemogenetic inhibition nor chemogenetic activation of the rACCCaMKII-DRNGABA circuit altered CFA chronic pain-evoked anxiety-like behaviors in rats. More importantly, we found that EA could reverse chronic pain-induced changes in the activity of rACC CaMKII neurons and DRN 5-HTergic neurons and that chemogenetic inhibition of the rACCCaMKII-DRN5-HT circuit blocked the therapeutic effects of EA on chronic pain-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Our data suggest that the reversal of rACCCaMKII-DRN5-HT circuit dysfunction may be a mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of EA on chronic pain-induced anxiety-like behaviors.

Folic Acid Ameliorates Anxiety- and Depressive-Like Behavior Induced by Nicotine Withdrawal Through Restoration of Behavioral and Biochemical Alterations in Adolescent Male Rats.

The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of folic acid (FA) on withdrawal following nicotine (Nic) administration in adolescent male rats. Adolescent male rats were divided into two groups: (1) vehicle and (2) Nic (Nic-2 mg/kg), and were under treatment from 21 to 42 days of age. After that, they continued the experiment without treatment and returned to a regular diet, except for one of those who received Nic. The rats were divided into four groups where they were treated with different doses of FA (5, 10, and 15 mg/kg) and bupropion (Bup) by oral gavage, and the final group included normal rats that received only FA (15 mg/kg) from 42 days of age for three weeks during which withdrawal occurred. Results showed that adolescent Nic exposure exacerbated the behavioral indices of anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, while FA attenuated the effects of Nic withdrawal on anxiety and depression as well as Bup. In support, the biochemical results demonstrated a balance between oxidant and antioxidant mediators in addition to the increase and decrease of serotonin and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in cortical tissue. TNF-α as an inflammatory agent was decreased, whereas IL-10 as an anti-inflammatory parameter was increased. The present findings suggest anxiety and depression caused by Nic withdrawal were attenuated by FA more likely through the reduction activity of MAO, the important enzyme responsible for serotonin metabolism along with balance between oxidant/antioxidant and pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory mediators. However, various mechanisms might be involved, which requires further investigation. Nic withdrawal-induced depression and anxiety like behavior in rats followed by neuro-oxidative damage and neuro-inflammation. FA supplementation as well as Bup improved cognitive disorders induced by Nic withdrawal by increasing neuro-inflammation and neuro-oxidative damage.

Regulation of anxiety-like behaviors by S-palmitoylation and S-nitrosylation in basolateral amygdala

Protein posttranslational modification regulates synaptic protein stability, sorting and trafficking, and is involved in emotional disorders. Yet the molecular mechanisms regulating emotional disorders remain unelucidated. Here we report unknown roles of protein palmitoylation/nitrosylation crosstalk in regulating anxiety-like behaviors in rats. According to the percentages of open arm duration in the elevated plus maze test, the rats were divided into high-, intermediate- and low-anxiety groups. The palmitoylation and nitrosylation levels were detected by acyl-biotin exchange assay, and we found low palmitoylation and high nitrosylation levels in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of high-anxiety rats. Furthermore, we observed that 2-bromopalmitate (2-BP), a palmitoylation inhibitor, induced anxiety-like behaviors, accompanied with decreased amplitude and frequency of mEPSCs and mIPSCs in the BLA. Additionally, we also found that inhibiting nNOS activity with 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) in the BLA caused anxiolytic effects and reduced the synaptic transmission. Interestingly, diazepam (DZP) rapidly elevated the protein palmitoylation level and attenuated the protein nitrosylation level in the BLA. Specifically, similar to DZP, the voluntary wheel running exerted DZP-like anxiolytic action, and induced high palmitoylation and low nitrosylation levels in the BLA. Lastly, blocking the protein palmitoylation with 2-BP induced an increase in protein nitrosylation level, and attenuating the nNOS activity by 7-NI elevated the protein palmitoylation level. Collectively, these results show a critical role of protein palmitoylation/nitrosylation crosstalk in orchestrating anxiety behavior in rats, and it may serve as a potential target for anxiolytic intervention.

Heart rate variability measures indicating sex differences in autonomic regulation during anxiety-like behavior in rats.

Mental health conditions remain a substantial and costly challenge to society, especially in women since they have nearly twice the prevalence of anxiety disorders. However, critical mechanisms underlying sex differences remain incompletely understood. Measures of cardiac function, including heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV), reflect balance between sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) systems and are potential biomarkers for pathological states. To better understand sex differences in anxiety-related autonomic mechanisms, we examined HR/HRV telemetry in food-restricted adult rats during novelty suppression of feeding (NSF), with conflict between food under bright light in the arena center. To assess HRV, we calculated the SDNN (reflective of both SNS and PNS contribution) and rMSSD (reflective of PNS contribution) and compared these metrics to behaviors within the anxiety task. Females had greater HR and lower SNS indicators at baseline, as in humans. Further, females (but not males) with higher basal HR carried this state into NSF, delaying first approach to center. In contrast, males with lower SNS measures approached and spent more time in the brightly-lit center. Further, females with lower SNS indicators consumed significantly more food. In males, a high-SNS subpopulation consumed no food. Among consumers, males with greater SNS ate more food. Together, these are congruent with human findings suggesting women engage PNS more, and men SNS more. Our previous behavior-only work also observed female differences from males during initial movement and food intake. Thus, high basal SNS in females reduced behavior early in NSF, while subsequent reduced SNS allowed greater food intake. In males, lower SNS increased engagement with arena center, but greater SNS predicted higher consumption. Our findings show novel and likely clinically relevant sex differences in HRV-behavior relationships.

Deep brain stimulation of ventromedial prefrontal cortex reverses depressive-like behaviors via BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway in rats

AimDeep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently under investigation as a potential therapeutic approach for managing major depressive disorder (MDD) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is recognized as a promising target region. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate a preclinical paradigm of bilateral vmPFC DBS and examine the molecular mechanisms underlying its antidepressant-like effects using chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model in rats. Main methodsMale rats were subjected to stereotaxic surgery and deep brain stimulation paradigm in non-stressed and CUS rats respectively, and the therapeutic effect of DBS were assessed by a series of behavioral tests including sucrose preference test, open field test, elevated plus maze test, and forced swim test. The potential involvement of the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway and its downstream effects in this process were also investigated using western blot. Key findingsWe identified that a stimulation protocol consisting of 130 Hz, 200 μA, 90 μs pulses administered for 5 h per day over a period of 7 days effectively mitigated CUS-induced depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in rats. These therapeutic effects were associated with the enhancement of the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway and its downstream ERK1/2 activity. SignificanceThese findings provide valuable insights into the potential clinical utility of vmPFC DBS as an approach of improving the symptoms experienced by individuals with MDD. This evidence contributes to our understanding of the neurobiological basis of depression and offers promise for the development of more effective treatments.

Nöropeptid W, kronik stresli sıçanlarda bilişsel bozukluğu ve kaygı benzeri davranışları hafifletir

Objective: NPW plays a regulatory role in the neuroendocrine response to stress and the activation of the HPA axis. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of peripherally administered NPW on the cognitive functions and anxiety-like behavior of rats under chronic stress conditions.&#x0D; Methods: Wistar albino (250-290 gr) male rats were randomly divided as control, chronic stress group, and chronic stress exposed NPW-treated (0.1 µg/kg, subcutaneously) group. Chronic stress was induced by exposing the animals to water avoidance stress (WAS) for 1 h/day for ten consecutive days. At the end of the experimental stress procedure, an object recognition test was used to evaluate cognitive functions, and a hole-board test was used to assess anxiety levels. After the experiments, blood samples were collected to measure corticosterone levels.&#x0D; Results: WAS significant increases in the level of corticosterone when compared with control rats (p