Coping behavior causes asymmetric changes in neuronal activation in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Animal Behavior
• Stress Physiology

Background:

• Animals exhibit coping behaviors, like chewing, to mitigate stress responses.
• Dopamine signaling in the right prefrontal cortex is linked to coping mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate medial prefrontal cortical (mPFC) neuronal activation during chewing in rats exposed to novelty stress.
• To determine if chewing alters Fos-immunoreactivity (Fos-ir) in the mPFC and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA).

Main Methods:

• Rats were exposed to novelty stress while engaging in chewing behaviors.
• Neuronal activation was measured using Fos-immunoreactivity (Fos-ir) in brain regions.
• Specific focus on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA).

Main Results:

• Chewing increased Fos-ir selectively in the right hemisphere of the mPFC.
• Chewing decreased Fos-ir selectively in the right central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA).
• Asymmetric neuronal activation was observed in both mPFC and CeA.

Conclusions:

• Coping behaviors, such as chewing, engage mPFC and CeA neuronal activity.
• This engagement is asymmetric, with lateralization to the right hemisphere.
• The findings suggest a role for the CeA in regulating dopamine neurotransmission within the mPFC during stress coping.