Evaluation of effects of previous exposure to an acute stressor before testing for depression-like behaviours in mice

Stress. 2008 Mar;11(2):170-5. doi: 10.1080/10253890701560119.

Abstract

Test batteries are an essential and broadly used tool for behavioural phenotyping, especially with regard to mouse models of particular diseases, such as depression. Facing the problem of an often limited number of mutant animals, it therefore seems crucial to develop and optimise such test batteries in terms of an ideal throughput of subjects. This study aimed to characterize several common stressors, which are used for the investigation of depressive-like features with regard to their capability of each of them to affect performance in a subsequent behavioural test. Here we investigated swim-, restraint- and footshock-stress in male C57/BL6 mice, focusing on post-stress corticosterone elevations as well as potential effects on the behavioural level. The stressors increased circulating corticosterone levels when assessed 1 h after exposure. On the behavioural level, no test interactions could be detected, which suggests, that in general, combining these test conditions in experiments with a restricted availability of animals seems to be rather unproblematic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Avoidance Learning / physiology
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology*
  • Corticosterone / blood*
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Electroshock
  • Helplessness, Learned
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Psychological Tests
  • Restraint, Physical
  • Stress, Psychological / physiopathology*
  • Swimming

Substances

  • Corticosterone