Phenotypically Determined Liver Dysfunction in a Wistar Rat Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Hepatology
• Stress Physiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) incidence.
• PTSD is linked to various comorbidities, including liver dysfunction, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear.
• Understanding the link between behavioral disorders and liver morphofunctional changes is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between stress-induced behavioral changes and liver morphofunctional alterations.
• To compare the effects of predatory stress on liver function in rats with different anxiety phenotypes.

Main Methods:

• Modeled PTSD in male Wistar rats using predatory stress.
• Utilized elevated plus maze testing to categorize rats into low-anxiety (LAP) and high-anxiety (HAP) phenotypes.
• Performed morphofunctional and biochemical analyses of the liver.

Main Results:

• Morphofunctional liver analysis revealed stress-induced dysfunction in both LAP and HAP rats.
• HAP rats showed significant pre-nosological liver abnormalities in carbohydrate-fat, water-electrolyte, and protein metabolism.
• LAP rats exhibited only minor diffuse liver changes, suggesting a reduced adaptive capacity in stressed animals.

Conclusions:

• Predatory stress induces liver dysfunction, with severity correlating with anxiety levels.
• HAP rats display a pre-disease state in the liver, indicating a higher risk of homeostatic dysregulation.
• Demonstrated a direct link between behavioral phenotypes and the extent of liver morphofunctional changes.