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Chronic Unpredictable Stress Impairs Social Behaviour in Adult Male Rats: Correlations with Dopamine and Serotonin
Karla De Michelis Mograbi1, Oritoke Modupe Okeowo2, Paula Sumaran3
1Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Molecular Neurobiology
|November 11, 2025
Summary
Chronic unpredictable stress in rats reduced social behavior and altered brain chemistry. This stress paradigm impacts social motivation and neurobiology, affecting serotonin and dopamine levels.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Stress Research
Background:
- Chronic unpredictable stress significantly impacts physical and mental health.
- Previous research linked chronic unpredictable movement restraint (CUMR) to increased immobility and hippocampal inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of CUMR on social motivation in adult male rats.
- To explore the neurobiological underpinnings, including neurotransmitter levels, associated with CUMR-induced behavioral changes.
Main Methods:
- Adult male rats were exposed to CUMR (2, 4, or 6 hours/day for 3 weeks) or served as controls.
- Social behaviors (investigation, interaction) and levels of synaptophysin, serotonin, and dopamine were measured in various brain regions.
Main Results:
- CUMR exposure led to reduced body weight gain, decreased social investigation, and increased dominant behavior.
- Serotonin levels decreased in the hippocampus, while dopamine levels increased in the amygdala and hypothalamus.
- Serotonin turnover increased in the amygdala; correlations were found between neurotransmitter levels and social behaviors.
Conclusions:
- CUMR significantly impairs social behavior in male rats.
- Alterations in hippocampal and amygdalar serotonin and hypothalamic dopamine levels are implicated in CUMR-induced social deficits.
