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Role of oxidative stress in anxiety‐like behavior and learning and memory impairment in a rat model of social stress
Author(s) -
Patki Gaurav,
Allam Farida,
Bohat Ritu,
Jafri Faizan,
Saleem Mohammad,
Salim Samina
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1100.7
Subject(s) - anxiety , psychology , oxidative stress , open field , developmental psychology , social stress , morris water navigation task , medicine , neuroscience , hippocampus , psychiatry
Recently, we reported that direct pharmacological induction of oxidative stress causes anxiety‐like behavior and learning and memory impairment in a rodent model of oxidative stress (OS). In the present study, we tested whether induction of psychological stress using an established rat model of social stress leads to the same consequences i.e increased OS, anxiety and learning and memory impairment in rats. To test this hypothesis, a modified version of the resident‐intruder model for social stress (SS) was used. Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to either SS or control exposure for 30 min for seven consecutive days. SS exposure resulted in intruder subordination, termed defeat, and was operationally defined by the intruder assuming a supine posture that was held for approximately 3 s. Controls were placed in a novel cage behind a partition for 30 min daily. At the end of the social defeat protocol, body weights, food and water intake were recorded, anxiety‐like behavior (open‐field and light‐dark) as well as learning‐memory (radial water maze) tests were conducted. We observed a significant decrease in the body weight in the SS rats as compared to the controls. Furthermore, social stress increased anxiety‐like behavior and caused learning and memory impairment of SS rats as compared to the control group. Biochemical data suggests involvement of oxidative stress mechanisms in these behaviors. NIH R15G103327