Rats with differential self-grooming expression in the elevated plus-maze do not differ in anxiety-related behaviors

Author(s)

Reimer, Adriano Edgar ^{[1, 2]} ; de Oliveira, Amanda Ribeiro ^{[2, 3]} ; Diniz, Juliana Belo ^[4] ; Hoexter, Marcelo Queiroz ^[4] ; Chiavegatto, Silvana ^[5] ; Brandao, Marcus Lira ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras Ribeirao Preto, Lab Neuropsicofarmacol, BR-14090901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Inst Neurociencias & Comportamento, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Ctr Educcacao & Ciencias Humanas, Grp Psicobiol, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept Psiquiatria, BR-14090901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Ciencias Biomed, Dept Farmacol, BR-14090901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Behavioural Brain Research; v. 292, p. 370-380, OCT 1 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 10

Abstract

Individual differences are important biological predictors for reactivity to stressful stimulation. The extent to which trait differences underlie animal's reactions to conditioned and unconditioned fear stimuli, for example, is still to be clarified. Although grooming behavior has been associated with some aspects of the obsessive-compulsive disorder in humans, its relation with other anxiety disorders is still unknown. Given that grooming behavior could be a component of the whole spectrum of these disorders, in the present study we allocated male Wistar rats in low, intermediate and high self-grooming groups according to the duration of such behavior in the elevated plus-maze (EPM). These groups were then evaluated in unconditioned fear tests, such as the EPM and the open-field, and in conditioned fear tests, such as fear-potentiated startle and fear extinction retention. Additionally, we studied the expression of unconditioned behaviors in marble burying test and the sensorimotor gate function with prepulse inhibition test. Neurochemicals and neuroendocrine parameters were also evaluated, with the quantification of basal corticosterone in the plasma, and dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites in brain structures involved with fear processing. In general, rats classified according to grooming expression showed similar performance in all behavioral tests. Accordingly, corticosterone and monoamine concentrations were similar among groups. Thus, despite grooming expression elicited by different approaches especially pharmacological ones has been related with some aspects of anxiety disorders, rats with different expression of spontaneous self-grooming in the EPM do not differ in anxiety-like behaviors nor in neurochemical and neuroendocrine parameters generally associated with anxiety disorders. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/09648-0 - Modifications in plasma levels of BDNF and BDNF gene polymorphisms in patients with OCD submitted to fear conditioning paradigm
• Grantee: Karina Soares de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 11/21357-9 - Research on neural circuits and biological markers involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder using behavioral paradigms of fear and anxiety
• Grantee: Eurípedes Constantino Miguel Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/00041-3 - Neurobiology of stress: the sensorimotor gating
• Grantee: Marcus Lira Brandão
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/00968-0 - Fear conditioning, extinction and recall in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients pre- and post-treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
• Grantee: Juliana Belo Diniz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral