Immediate and long-lasting effects of chronic stress in the prepubertal age on the startle reflex

The immediate and long-lasting effects of two models of chronic stress during the prepubertal period of life (21-32 days) on the acoustic startle response (ASR) were studied in outbred Wistar normotensives and rats with inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension (ISIAH) derived from them. Chronic variable stress (CVS) and repeated handling were used as chronic treatment. The obtained data showed a significantly attenuated ASR and a greater magnitude of prepulse inhibition (PPI) in juvenile and adult ISIAH compared to Wistar rats. The immediate effects of prolonged stress on the ASR were genotype-dependent. Young ISIAH rats exposed to both types of prepubertal stimulation had higher ASR than the age-matched controls. No significant stress-induced changes in the ASR were found in young Wistar rats. The long-lasting consequences of prolonged prepubertal stress were similar in the two strains and were determined by the specificity of stress stimulation: chronic handling had no effect on the ASR, while CVS enhanced it. The long-lasting effect of CVS experienced in prepubertal life appears to produce ASR changes similar to those seen in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The magnitude of PPI increased from early age to adulthood and it was tolerant to environmental influences. The two rat strains did not differ in the rate of short-term habituation to repeated acoustic stimuli, which was unaffected by prepubertal stress. Evidence was obtained indicating that genetic and environmental background in childhood may contribute to the truncation of the startle response.