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Inhibition of the glucocorticoid synthesis reverses stress-induced decrease in rat's 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations
Piotr Popik1, Tomasz Kos1, Helena Pluta1
1Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna Street, 31-343 Kraków, Poland.
Behavioural Brain Research
|December 7, 2013
Summary
Restraint stress reduces positive ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in rats. Metyrapone, a stress inhibitor, prevented this reduction, suggesting potential anti-stress effects. This research offers a new method for identifying anti-depressant compounds.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Playful somatosensory stimulation in rats elicits ~50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), indicative of positive affect.
- Previous research demonstrated that restraint stress diminishes the emission of these positive USVs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if metyrapone, a glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitor, can alleviate stress-induced suppression of "tickling"-elicited USVs in rats.
- To explore the potential of metyrapone as a countermeasure against stress-induced negative affect.
Main Methods:
- Rats underwent daily "tickling" sessions to stabilize USV responses.
- Post-stabilization, rats were assigned to handling, handling + metyrapone, restraint stress, or restraint stress + metyrapone groups.
- Ultrasound vocalizations were analyzed for frequency and acoustic parameters.
Main Results:
- Restraint stress significantly reduced "tickling"-induced USVs compared to handled controls.
- Metyrapone treatment blocked the stress-induced reduction in USVs without affecting handled rats.
- The majority of "tickling"-induced USVs were 50-kHz frequency-modulated, with flat and 22-kHz calls occurring less frequently.
Conclusions:
- Metyrapone effectively counteracts the suppressive effects of restraint stress on positive affect in rats, as measured by USVs.
- This study provides a framework for assessing the anti-stress and potential anti-depressant properties of compounds using rodent positive affect vocalizations.
