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Social hierarchy differentially influences the anxiety-like behaviors and dendritic spine density in prefrontal cortex and limbic areas in male rats

  • 0Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Behavioural Brain Research +

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May 10, 2024

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May 10, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Dominant rats exhibited higher anxiety and altered dendritic spine density in brain regions like the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus compared to subordinates. This suggests social rank impacts brain structure and emotional behavior.

Area Of Science

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Social Neuroscience

Background

  • Social hierarchy influences brain and emotional processing.
  • Key brain regions involved in emotional processing include the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus, and basolateral amygdala (BLA).
  • The precise structural correlates of social rank in these brain regions are not well understood.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To investigate the relationship between social hierarchy, anxiety-like behaviors, and dendritic spine density in specific brain regions of male Wistar rats.

Main Methods

  • Social hierarchy was established using a tube test.
  • Locomotor activity and anxiety-like behaviors were assessed via open-field test (OFT) and elevated plus-maze (EPM).
  • Dendritic spine density was quantified using the rapid Golgi method in the dmPFC, hippocampal CA1, and BLA.

Main Results

  • Dominant rats displayed significantly higher anxiety-like behaviors than subordinates in OFT and EPM.
  • Subordinate rats had higher dendritic spine density in dmPFC and hippocampal CA1 neurons compared to dominant rats.
  • Dominant rats showed higher dendritic spine density in BLA neurons.

Conclusions

  • Dominant social rank in male rats is associated with increased anxiety-like behaviors.
  • Social hierarchy influences structural plasticity, indicated by differential dendritic spine density in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala.
  • These findings highlight the neurobiological underpinnings of social rank and emotional processing.

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