Enhanced Stress Response in 5-HT_1AR Overexpressing Mice: Altered HPA Function and Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation

Postsynaptic 5-HT_1A receptors (5-HT_1AR) play an important role in anxiety and stress, although their contribution is still controversial. Previous studies report that mice overexpressing postsynaptic 5-HT_1ARs show no changes in basal anxiety, though the influence of stress conditions has not been addressed yet. In this study, we used this animal model to evaluate the role of 5-HT_1ARs in anxiety response after pre-exposure to an acute stressor. Under basal conditions, 5-HT_1AR overexpressing animals presented high corticosterone levels and a lower mineralocorticoid/glucocorticoid receptor ratio. After pre-exposure to a single stressor, they showed a high anxiety-like response, associated with a blunted increase in corticosterone levels and higher c-Fos activation in the prefrontal cortex. Moreover, these mice also presented a lack of downregulation of hippocampal long-term potentiation after stress exposure. Therefore, higher postsynaptic 5-HT_1AR activation might predispose to a high anxious phenotype and an impaired stress coping behavior.