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Strain differences in sympathetic-adrenal medullary responsiveness and behavior
Behavioral and Neural Biology
|January 1, 1984
Summary
Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Brown-Norway (B-N) rats exhibit distinct physiological and behavioral stress responses. WKY rats show greater stress-induced catecholamine release and enhanced memory retention, while B-N rats display higher activity levels.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Biology
- Physiology
Background:
- Previous research indicates strain-specific differences in rat responses to stress.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for modeling stress-related disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To confirm and extend previous findings on Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Brown-Norway (B-N) rat strain differences in physiological and behavioral stress responses.
- To investigate if these strain differences are consistent across sexes.
- To establish these rat strains as a model for studying the relationship between sympathetic-adrenal medullary activity and behavior under stress.
Main Methods:
- Experiment 1: Measured plasma catecholamine levels (norepinephrine, epinephrine) and mean arterial pressure in WKY and B-N rats following acute footshock stress.
- Experiment 2: Compared locomotor activity and rearing behavior in an open field test for male and female WKY and B-N rats over three days.
- Experiment 3: Assessed one-trial passive avoidance learning and 24-hour memory retention in male and female WKY and B-N rats.
Main Results:
- WKY rats exhibited higher plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels and increased mean arterial pressure post-stress compared to B-N rats; basal levels did not differ.
- B-N rats showed significantly greater activity and rearing in the open field test compared to WKY rats, irrespective of sex.
- WKY rats demonstrated superior 24-hour retention in the passive avoidance task compared to B-N rats, with strain differences consistent across sexes.
Conclusions:
- Physiological and behavioral stress responses differ between WKY and B-N rat strains, and these differences are consistent across both male and female rats.
- These findings support the utility of WKY and B-N rats as a valuable model for investigating the interplay between the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system and behavioral outcomes under stress.