Predictors of resilience or susceptibility to social defeat stress: the importance of coping with the aggressor and behaviors related to depression and anxiety

• Grant number: 19/27426-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2020
• End date: May 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Tadeu Marin
• Grantee: Lorena Lucas de Souza Martins
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Exposure to stress is related to the appearance of numerous emotional changes associated with stress. Nevertheless, not all individuals exposed to stress develop stress-related diseases. Some individuals are susceptible to stress damage, and others adapt appropriately, becoming resilient, with no changes related to depression and anxiety. In rodents, the social defeat stress (SDS) stands out due to its ethological relevance and similarity to the psychosocial stress commonly experienced by humans. In recent years our laboratory has been dedicated to the study of the consequences of resilience and susceptibility to stress in rats. However, it is possible that some of the characteristics that animals show after stress may already be present in these animals. It is also possible that during SDS sessions there are differences between the animals in the way they face the aggressive rat or even in the amount of attacks suffered. In an attempt to address these issues, this project will evaluate behaviors related to depression and anxiety before and after chronic SDS. In addition, characteristics of aggressor rat coping during each SDS session will be evaluated (AU)