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Time‐dependent Development of Social Stress Caused by Repeated Exposures to Aggressors Simulating Features of Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Author(s) -
Chakraborty Nabarun,
Meyerhoff James,
Gautam Aarti,
Muhie Seid,
Hammamieh Rasha,
Jett Marti
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.533.12
Subject(s) - habituation , stressor , psychology , traumatic stress , freezing behavior , extinction (optical mineralogy) , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , neuroscience , fear conditioning , anxiety , paleontology , biology
A utility criterion of a PTSD mouse model is recruiting a stressor with systematically variable intensity. An ideal stressor should maintain a ‘dose‐response relationship’ with the subjects’ behavioral shift. A typical PTSD model includes a brief exposure to foot or tail shock. We developed a model that involves repeated exposures (either 5‐day or 10‐day) to trained conspecific aggressors (Agg). A contextual reminder study evaluating a cluster of ethogram identified PTSD‐like (acute‐ and persistent‐) syndromes such as incubation, extinction and desensitization of fear responses. Pathophysiological consequences supported the model. This model reflects the combat‐like situation where life‐threatening events occur repeatedly and randomly. The direct relationship of PTSD‐risk with deployment frequency further justifies the model. Agg induced stress intensity can only be elevated by prolonging the exposure. The risk of habituation can thereby defeat the ‘dose‐response’ relationship. We addressed this concern by evaluating the time‐dependent behavioral shift of the subject mice (C57BL/6j). Subsets of subject mice were withdrawn from the Agg‐exposure (Agg‐E) schedule at regular intervals and their psycho‐patho‐physiological characters were evaluated. A regression model elucidated the temporal relationship of Agg‐E stress with the psychological alteration.