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Mouse strain differences in autonomic responses to stress.
M J V van Bogaert1, L Groenink, R S Oosting
1Department of Psychopharmacology, Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Behavioural Genomics Section, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, the Netherlands. m.j.v.vanbogaert@pharm.uu.nl
Genes, Brain, and Behavior
|March 2, 2006
Summary
Autonomic stress responses, including body temperature and heart rate, varied significantly across mouse strains, with C57BL/6 showing the highest reactivity. This autonomic response ranking did not align with behavioral stress responses.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Physiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Anxiety disorders in humans are linked to autonomic nervous system overactivity (e.g., increased body temperature and heart rate).
- Rodent models exhibit similar autonomic changes following stress exposure, making them valuable for studying stress and anxiety.
- Autonomic parameters offer insights into stress and anxiety responses in mice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess and compare the stress reactivity of three common mouse strains (129 Sv/Ev, Swiss Webster, and C57 BL/6) using autonomic responses.
- To investigate strain-specific differences in the magnitude and duration of autonomic stress responses.
- To evaluate the differential sensitivity of these mouse strains to the anxiolytic drug diazepam.
Main Methods:
- Telemetric measurement of body temperature, heart rate, and activity in mice under undisturbed and stressed conditions.
- Application of stressors of increasing intensity to evaluate autonomic responses.
- Assessment of diazepam sensitivity using the stress-induced hyperthermia paradigm at various dosages.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in circadian rhythms and autonomic stress responses were observed among the mouse strains.
- C57 BL/6 mice exhibited the most pronounced autonomic responses, while SW mice showed the least, with 129 Sv/Ev in between.
- Autonomic stress response rankings did not correlate with behavioral stress responsivity, and 129 Sv/Ev mice were most sensitive to diazepam.
Conclusions:
- Simultaneous measurement of behavioral and autonomic parameters is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of stress and anxiety in mice.
- Mouse strain selection significantly impacts observed autonomic stress reactivity and pharmacological responses.
- Autonomic profiling provides a valuable complementary approach to behavioral assessments in preclinical stress research.