An Ethoexperimental Approach to the Study of Defense

Blanchard, Robert J.; Blanchard, D. Caroline; Hori, Kevin

doi:10.1007/978-94-009-2403-1_7

Cited by 101 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Understanding the neural and biochemical pathways that underlie BI will provide insight into the neurobiology of fear and anxiety, and anxiety-related psychopathology. The present study demonstrates that rats exposed to a ferret engage in anxiety-related BI which is consistent with previous reports demonstrating that rats exposed to cat or cat odors display an increase in fear-related behavioral responses such as freezing, avoidance and riskassessment (Blanchard et al, 1989;McGregor et al, 2002). Results with fox odor have been less consistent with some reports of increased freezing when a rat is presented with the synthetic compound 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT) derived from the fox anal gland (Wallace and Rosen, 2000;Fendt et al, 2003), whereas other reports fail to demonstrate any fear-related behavioral responses to TMT (McGregor et al, 2002).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Predator threat induces behavioral inhibition, pituitary-adrenal activation and changes in amygdala CRF-binding protein gene expression

Roseboom

Nanda

Bakshi

et al. 2007

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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SummaryBehavioral inhibition (BI) is an adaptive defensive response to threat; however, extreme BI is associated with anxiety-related psychopathology. When rats are exposed to a natural predator they display stress-and anxiety-related behavioral alterations and physiological activation. To develop a preclinical rodent model to study mechanisms underlying human BI and anxiety, we examined the extent to which ferret exposure elicits anxiety-related BI and HPA and amygdala activation of the CRF system. In the first experiment, BI and other behaviors were assessed in the presence or absence of a ferret. In the second experiment, ferret-induced corticosterone release and changes in brain cfos expression were assessed. In the final experiment, gene chip and quantitative real time-PCR analyses were performed on amygdala tissue from control and ferret-exposed rats. Ferret exposure increased BI and submissive posturing, as well as plasma corticosterone and the number of Fospositive cells in several brain regions including the amygdala. Gene expression analysis revealed increased amygdalar mRNA for CRF-binding protein, but not the CRF 1 receptor, CRF 2 receptor or CRF. In rodents, ferret exposure can be used to elicit anxiety-related BI, which is associated with HPA and amygdala activation. Since the amygdala and the CRF system have been implicated in adaptive and maladaptive anxiety responses in humans, these data support use of our rodent model to further investigate mechanisms underlying anxiety-related psychopathology in humans.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Predator threat induces behavioral inhibition, pituitary-adrenal activation and changes in amygdala CRF-binding protein gene expression

Roseboom

Nanda

Bakshi

et al. 2007

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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“…shown that cat odours increase anxiety-Ilke behaviors in rats (Blanchard and Blanchard, 1989). Moreover, amygdala kindling in the cat increases defensive responsiveness to exogenous (rats -Adamec, 1991a) and endogenous stimuli (Hiyoshi et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of kindling of different nuclei in the left and right amygdala on anxiety in the rat

Adamec

Morgan

1994

Physiology & Behavior

119

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“…Furthermore, the important issue of behavioural specificity, normally addressed by examining treatment effects on closed arm entries (Factor 2), may also be approached by examining treatment effects on other active behaviours such as rearing (Factor 5) and head-dipping (Factor 6). As in other areas of ethopharmacology, e.g., research on agonistic behaviour (70), such interpretation should be guided by the overall behavioural profile and not by dogmatic adherence to preconceptions regarding the importance of any single variable. A hypothetical example may help to convey this point more clearly.…”

Section: Behavioural Profiling In the Plus-mazementioning

confidence: 99%

Animal models of anxiety: an ethological perspective

Rodgers¹,

Cao²,

Dalvi³

et al. 1997

Braz J Med Biol Res

533

244

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In the field of anxiety research, animal models are used as screening tools in the search for compounds with therapeutic potential and as simulations for research on mechanisms underlying emotional behaviour. However, a solely pharmacological approach to the validation of such tests has resulted in distinct problems with their applicability to systems other than those involving the benzodiazepine/GABA A receptor complex. In this context, recent developments in our understanding of mammalian defensive behaviour have not only prompted the development of new models but also attempts to refine existing ones. The present review focuses on the application of ethological techniques to one of the most widely used animal models of anxiety, the elevated plus-maze paradigm. This fresh approach to an established test has revealed a hitherto unrecognized multidimensionality to plus-maze behaviour and, as it yields comprehensive behavioural profiles, has many advantages over conventional methodology. This assertion is supported by reference to recent work on the effects of diverse manipulations including psychosocial stress, benzodiazepines, GABA receptor ligands, neurosteroids, 5-HT 1A receptor ligands, and panicolytic/panicogenic agents. On the basis of this review, it is suggested that other models of anxiety may well benefit from greater attention to behavioural detail.

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An Ethoexperimental Approach to the Study of Defense

Cited by 101 publications

References 24 publications

Predator threat induces behavioral inhibition, pituitary-adrenal activation and changes in amygdala CRF-binding protein gene expression

Predator threat induces behavioral inhibition, pituitary-adrenal activation and changes in amygdala CRF-binding protein gene expression

The effect of kindling of different nuclei in the left and right amygdala on anxiety in the rat

Animal models of anxiety: an ethological perspective

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