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Adrenoceptor antagonists block c-fos response to stress in the mouse brain

E A Stone1, Y Zhang

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA.

Brain Research
|October 2, 1995
PubMed

Insights

The noradrenergic system, primarily alpha-1 and beta-1 receptors, mediates the c-fos stress response in mouse brains. This study investigated monoaminergic systems

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Stress Research

Background:

  • Monoaminergic systems play a crucial role in the brain's response to stress.
  • The c-fos protein is a widely used marker for neuronal activation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the involvement of different monoaminergic systems in mediating the c-fos response to immobilization stress in the mouse brain.
  • To identify specific receptors involved in this stress-induced neuronal activation.

Main Methods:

  • Mice were pretreated with various monoamine receptor antagonists before immobilization stress.
  • c-fos expression was measured immunohistochemically across different brain regions.

Main Results:

  • Alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist (prazosin) and beta-1 adrenergic antagonist (betaxolol) significantly reduced c-fos response in multiple brain regions.
  • Other antagonists (ICI118,551, fluphenazine, WAY 100135, ketanserin) did not show clear patterns of effect.
  • Effects were specific and not due to sedation or general neuronal depression.

Conclusions:

  • The noradrenergic system is most involved in the central c-fos response to immobilization stress in mice.
  • This response is mediated by a combination of alpha-1 and beta-1 adrenergic receptors.

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