Search results for "elevated plus maze"
showing 10 items of 53 documents
Sex differences in behavioral traits related with high sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of cocaine
2021
Cocaine is the most prevalent illegal stimulant drug in Europe among the adult population. Its abuse is characterized by a faster substance abuse disorder (SUD) development than other drugs, with high vulnerability to relapse. However, there does not exist an effective treatment for cocaine dependence. Sex differences have been reported in psychological disorders including SUD. For this reason, it is essential to identify risk factors that predict susceptibility or resilience to cocaine addiction for the development of effective prevention strategies considering sex differences. In the present study, the main objective was to determine more sensitive phenotypes to the conditioned reinforcin…
γ1- and γ2-melanocyte stimulating hormones induce central anxiogenic effects and potentiate ethanol withdrawal responses in the elevated plus-maze te…
2008
Little is known about the endogenous functions of gamma1- and gamma2-melanocyte stimulating hormones (gamma1- and gamma2-MSH). Although gamma-MSHs bind to melanocortin receptor subtypes 3 and 4, we have previously shown that these peptides also influence non-melanocortinergic processes, such as dopaminergic and GABAergic. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gamma1- and gamma2-MSH (at doses 0.3, 1 and 2 nmol/mouse/5 microl) on the anxiety levels in mice in elevated plus maze. Three experimental paradigms were performed to assess the effects of peptides on: a) ethanol withdrawal; b) acute ethanol-induced anxiolytic action; c) peptides per se. We used ethanol as the model sub…
Strain Differences in Open-Field and Elevated Plus-Maze Behavior of Rats Without and With Pretest Handling
1998
Behavior of two rat strains was analyzed with and without 1-week pretest handling. Male rats (150-200 g body weight) of the strains PVG/OlaHsd (PVG) and Hsd:Sprague-DawleySD (SPRD) were tested once in a standard open field and an enriched open field and twice in an elevated plus-maze. Behavioral analysis revealed significant differences between the two strains and differential effects of the pretest handling procedure. SPRD rats displayed higher levels of activity and exploratory behavior than the PVG rats, whereas PVG rats were obviously less anxious. One-week pretest handling had an "anxiolytic" effect and changed activity and exploration-related behavior of the animals in both strains. A…
Social Housing Conditions Modulate the Long-Lasting Increase in Cocaine Reward Induced by Intermittent Social Defeat
2019
Social defeat is considered the most representative animal model for studying the consequences of social stress. Intermittent social defeat (ISD) has proved to enhance the response to cocaine hedonic properties. In the present research, we evaluated if different social housing conditions, as housing with a familiar conspecific or with a female, exert a protective effect modulating the negative consequences of ISD as the increased sensitivity to cocaine and the induction of anxiety-like behavior. To achieve this objective, non-stressed or ISD OF1 male mice were divided into five different experimental groups according to their social environment: standard housing (four adult males per cage);…
Effects of the LPA1 Receptor Deficiency and Stress on the Hippocampal LPA Species in Mice
2019
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is an important bioactive lipid species that functions in intracellular signaling through six characterized G protein-coupled receptors (LPA1-6). Among these receptors, LPA1 is a strong candidate to mediate the central effects of LPA on emotion and may be involved in promoting normal emotional behaviors. Alterations in this receptor may induce vulnerability to stress and predispose an individual to a psychopathological disease. In fact, mice lacking the LPA1 receptor exhibit emotional dysregulation and cognitive alterations in hippocampus-dependent tasks. Moreover, the loss of this receptor results in a phenotype of low resilience with dysfunctional coping in res…
Prior test experience produces changes of t-patterns spatial distribution in the elevated plus maze test
2014
Aim of present research was to investigate in male Wistar rats whether a prior elevated plus maze experience modifies the temporal structure of the behavioral response following a retest applied after 24h. Video files were coded by means of a software coder and event log files generated for each subject were analyzed by means of a specific software for temporal pattern analysis (Theme). Present research shows a clear reduction of the number of t-patterns from trial one to trial two. This reduction is provoked by the disappearance of t-patterns consisting of behavioral elements occurring in the unprotected zones of the maze. The results suggest that the previous experience in the maze causes…
Behavioural Consequences of P-Glycoprotein Deficiency in Mice, with Special Focus on Stress-Related Mechanisms
2012
P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an efflux transporter localised in the blood-brain barrier, limits the access of multiple xenobiotics to the central nervous system. Whether it is also implemented in the transport of the endogenous glucocorticoid corticosterone is a matter of debate. The P-gp knockout mouse model [abcb1a/b (-/-)] has been shown to differ in the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. In the present study, we investigated the behaviour of abcb1a/b (-/-) and wild-type mice with respect to stress-related tests and the effects of corticosterone. Behavioural activities were assessed in the open field (OF) test for 4 days, and in the forced swimming test (FST) and tai…
Temporal structure of the rat's behavior in elevated plus maze test
2012
Aim of the research was to evaluate, by means of quantitative and multivariate temporal pattern analyses, the behavior of Wistar rat in elevated plus maze (EPM) test. On the basis of an ethogram encompassing 24 behavioral elements, quantitative results showed that 130.14 ± 8.01 behavioral elements occurred in central platform and in closed arms (protected zones), whereas 88.62 ± 6.04 occurred in open arms (unprotected zones). Percent distribution was characterized by a prevalence of sniffing, walking and vertical exploration. Analysis of minute-by-minute duration evidenced a decrease for time spent in open arms and central platform and an increase for time spent in closed arms. As to multiv…
The novelty-seeking phenotype modulates the long-lasting effects of adolescent MDMA exposure.
2015
Exposure to drugs such as ethanol or cocaine during adolescence induces alterations in the central nervous system that are modulated by the novelty-seeking trait. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of this trait on the long-term effects of MDMA administration during adolescence on spontaneous behavior and conditioned rewarding effects in adulthood. Adolescent mice were classified as high or low novelty seekers (HNS or LNS) according to the hole-board test and received either MDMA (0, 10 or 20mg/kg PND 33-42) or saline. Three weeks later, having entered adulthood (PND>68), one set of mice performed the elevated plus maze and social interaction tests, while another set performed the condit…
Proteomic signature of the Dravet syndrome in the genetic Scn1a-A1783V mouse model.
2021
Abstract Background Dravet syndrome is a rare, severe pediatric epileptic encephalopathy associated with intellectual and motor disabilities. Proteomic profiling in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome can provide information about the molecular consequences of the genetic deficiency and about pathophysiological mechanisms developing during the disease course. Methods A knock-in mouse model of Dravet syndrome with Scn1a haploinsufficiency was used for whole proteome, seizure, and behavioral analysis. Hippocampal tissue was dissected from two- (prior to epilepsy manifestation) and four- (following epilepsy manifestation) week-old male mice and analyzed using LC-MS/MS with label-free quantificati…