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A Mouse Model of Subchronic and Mild Social Defeat Stress for Understanding Stress-induced Behavioral and Physiological Deficits
Published on: November 24, 2015
[Decrease in sucrose solution consumption by CBA/Lac male mice under chronic social stress]
Zhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deiatelnosti Imeni I P Pavlova
|January 26, 2011
Summary
Social defeat stress reduces sucrose intake in mice, regardless of genetic predisposition to catalepsy or depression. High anxiety levels in both strains appear to drive this decrease in consumption during chronic social stress.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
- Stress Research
Context:
- Investigating the impact of social stress on reward-seeking behavior.
- Utilizing two mouse strains (CBA/Lac and C57BL/6J) with differing genetic predispositions.
- Examining voluntary consumption of sucrose solution as a measure of anhedonia.
Purpose:
- To determine how repeated social defeat influences sucrose intake in genetically distinct mice.
- To compare the effects of social stress on consumption patterns between catalepsy-predisposed and depression-predisposed strains.
- To explore the role of anxiety in mediating behavioral responses to chronic social stress.
Summary:
- Both CBA/Lac and C57BL/6J mice, when subjected to repeated social defeat, showed a significant decrease in voluntary sucrose solution intake compared to control groups.
- Intact mice of both strains initially preferred the sucrose solution over water.
- The reduction in sucrose consumption in stressed mice suggests a potential anhedonic response, potentially driven by elevated anxiety levels.
Impact:
- Provides insight into the behavioral consequences of social stress and anhedonia in animal models.
- Highlights the potential role of anxiety as a common factor influencing reward processing under chronic stress.
- Informs future research on stress-related disorders and potential therapeutic targets.
