Hyper-Reactive Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Axis in Rats Bred for High Anxiety-Related Behaviour

Psychiatric patients suffering from anxiety disorders or endogenous depression exhibit increased activity in their hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenocortical (HPA) axis. Recently, two Wistar rat lines, bred for high (HAB) and low (LAB) anxiety‐related behaviour on the elevated plus‐maze, were described as...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of neuroendocrinology 1999-06, Vol.11 (6), p.405-407
Main Authors: Landgraf, R, Wigger, A, Holsboer, F, Neumann, I D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ACTH
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood
Animals
anxiety
Anxiety - genetics
Anxiety - physiopathology
corticosterone
Corticosterone - blood
emotionality
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - physiology
Male
oxytocin
Oxytocin - blood
Pituitary-Adrenal System - physiology
prolactin
Prolactin - blood
Rats
Rats, Wistar
stress
vasopressin
Vasopressins - blood
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Summary:Psychiatric patients suffering from anxiety disorders or endogenous depression exhibit increased activity in their hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenocortical (HPA) axis. Recently, two Wistar rat lines, bred for high (HAB) and low (LAB) anxiety‐related behaviour on the elevated plus‐maze, were described as a unique psychopathological animal model (1). The present study focused on the HPA axis reactivity of HAB and LAB animals to an emotional stressor. Thus, adult male HAB and LAB animals, fitted with jugular vein catheters 5 days prior to the experiment, were exposed to an open arm of the elevated plus‐maze for 5 min. Whereas basal levels of ACTH and corticosterone were similar in both lines, HAB rats showed higher plasma concentrations at 5 and 15 min following stressor exposure (both hormones and both time points: P
ISSN:0953-8194
1365-2826
DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2826.1999.00342.x