Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
09:37
Chronic Stress Shifts Effort-Related Choice Behavior in a Y-Maze Barrier Task in Mice
Published on: August 13, 2020
12.2K
Rigid patterns of effortful choice behavior after acute stress in rats
Evan E Hart1, Alexandra Stolyarova1, Michael A Conoscenti1
1a Department of Psychology , University of California at Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|November 9, 2016
Summary
Acute stress did not alter effort-based decision-making for high-reward choices in animals. However, stress increased polysialyted neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) in the medial frontal cortex and amygdala after effortful choice experience.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Stress Research
Background:
- Decreased physical effort is a characteristic of many neuropsychiatric disorders.
- Stress significantly impacts cognitive functions, including decision-making and performance on various tests.
- The medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala are brain regions affected by stress and involved in effort-based choices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of acute stress on effort-based decision-making.
- To examine the relationship between stress, effortful choices, and structural plasticity markers.
- To explore how acute stress influences behavior in tasks requiring physical effort for rewards.
Main Methods:
- An acute stress procedure was employed to induce persistent impairment and elevated corticosterone levels.
- Effort-based decision-making was assessed in animals following the stress procedure.
- Levels of polysialyted neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM), a marker of structural plasticity, were measured in the medial frontal cortex and amygdala.
Main Results:
- Animals consistently choosing high-magnitude rewards maintained this behavior even after acute shock stress.
- Polysialyted neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) levels increased in the medial frontal cortex and amygdala following experience with effortful choices.
- Shock stress alone did not lead to an increase in PSA-NCAM in these brain regions.
Conclusions:
- Acute stress may not impair effort-based decision-making for high-value rewards.
- Effortful choice experience, rather than acute stress alone, is associated with increased PSA-NCAM in key brain regions.
- Findings suggest acute stress might promote rigid responding patterns in effortful decision-making.
