Effects of baseline anxiety on response to kindling of the right medial amygdala.

The effects of kindling of the right anterior medial amygdala of Wistar rats was studied. Kindling lastingly increased anxiety (decreased open-arm exploration) in the elevated plus-maze 1 week after the last kindled seizure, replicating previous findings. Changes in anxiety were independent of changes in exploration or activity in either the plus-maze or hole board. A new finding is the dependence on baseline behavior of kindling induced behavioral changes. Using a novel-retest paradigm, it was possible to retest rats in the plus-maze without changes in their open arm explorations. This permitted pretesting rats to determine their baseline levels of plus-maze anxiety. Controls proved to be stable in their plus-maze behavior over a retest interval of 3 weeks. Rats below the median level of Test 1 open-arm exploration were unaffected by kindling. Those above the Test 1 median level of open-arm exploration showed reduced exploration following kindling. Kindling did not affect closed-arm entries in the plus-maze in this analysis. However, it was discovered that rats with arm entries below a critical level on Test 1 showed an increase in closed-arm entries following kindling. These findings point out how baseline behaviors can interact with kindling to influence behavioral outcome. Risk assessment was unchanged by kindling in this study, unlike previous reports. Subtle changes in focus location within the medial amygdala may have altered the effects of kindling on risk assessment. The electrodes in this study were in a slightly but significantly different location in the medial amygdala than in previous studies. As in previous studies, risk assessment was measured as frequency and duration of stretch attend postures toward the open arm of the plus maze when the hind quarters were in the closed arms. Risk assessment was taken as a ratio of time spent in the closed arms of the maze. This study, along with others reviewed elsewhere, suggest that a complex set of factors contributes to the effects of kindling on behavior. The fact that previous studies have not taken them into account perhaps explains inconsistencies in the reported behavioral effects of kindling on behavior in rodents.

Rodent anxiety and kindling of the central amygdala and nucleus basalis.

We studied lasting behavioral effects of kindling of three parts of the central nucleus of the amygdala and the anterior nucleus basalis in the right hemisphere of male Wistar rats. Kindling lastingly changed two measures of anxiety in the elevated plus-maze. The nature of the change depended on the location of the kindled focus. Kindling of the posterior central nucleus decreased both open-arm exploration and frequency of risk assessment in the elevated plus-maze 1 week after the fourth stage 5 seizure. Kindling of the middle parts of the central nucleus was without behavioral effects. Kindling of the anterior central nucleus and the anterior nucleus basalis increased risk assessment, which was interpreted as an anxiolytic effect. Changes in risk assessment produced by kindling of the central nucleus were dependent on open-arm avoidance, whereas the effects of nucleus basalis kindling were independent of open-arm avoidance. Analysis of covariance and factor analysis support the view that control of risk assessment is by circuitry, which is independent of that which controls open-arm avoidance. Moreover, part of this circuitry appears to involve the anterior nucleus basalis. Changes in plus-maze behavior were independent of changes in exploration or activity in either the plus-maze or hole board. These findings add to a growing body of evidence that suggests that subtle differences in location of a kindled focus within the rat amygdala lead to different behavioral outcomes.

Unilateral block of NMDA receptors in the amygdala prevents predator stress-induced lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior and unconditioned startle--effective hemisphere depends on the behavior.

Lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior (ALB) in the elevated plus-maze are produced by a single 5-min exposure of a rat to a cat. Rats become more anxious in the plus-maze for up to 3 weeks after the exposure. The first study in this series demonstrated that blockade of NMDA receptors in rats with MK-801, AP7, or CPP, given systemically 30 min prior to exposure to a cat prevents the increase in ALB assessed 1 week later in the elevated plus-maze. To localize the site of action of systemic MK-801, MK-801 was injected in the amygdala 30 min prior to predator stress. Injections were given either unilaterally in either hemisphere, or bilaterally in both hemispheres. The target of the injection was the basolateral amygdala. The effects of injection depended on both the type of behavior and the hemisphere of injection. Injections of MK-801 in a variety of sites in the basolateral amygdala had no effect on the suppression of open-arm exploration produced by predator stress. Other amygdala nuclei or other limbic sites likely mediate the effects of systemically administered MK-801 on this behavior. In contrast, NMDA receptors in the left lateral amygdala mediate lasting suppression of risk assessment. MK-801, in a variety of sites in the left but not right lateral amygdala, blocked the effects of predator stress on risk assessment. This is clear evidence of separability of neural mechanisms controlling open-arm exploration and risk assessment. Different NMDA-dependent amygdala circuitry mediated effects of predator stress on unconditioned acoustic startle 1 week after cat exposure. The data indicate that integrity of the left lateral amygdala is necessary for potentiation of startle amplitude by predator stress, though NMDA receptors are not involved in this function. Nevertheless, NMDA receptors in the right, but not the left lateral amygdala, mediate initiation of changes in startle. The data also suggest that the right amygdala action is "downstream" from the left amygdala contribution. These findings are consistent with the view that NMDA receptors are involved in initiation, but not maintenance, of neural changes mediating lasting increases in anxiety following severe stress. Finally, the findings of the importance of the right amygdala in stress-induced enhancement of the startle response provides neurobiological face validity to predator stress as a model of aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder.

NMDA receptors mediate lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior produced by the stress of predator exposure--implications for anxiety associated with posttraumatic stress disorder.

It has been proposed that NMDA-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) of limbic system circuits controlling defensive behavior underlies stressor-induced lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior (ALB). Findings in cats given the stress-inducing beta-carboline, FG-7142, support this hypothesis. An animal model of lasting affective change following traumatic stress has recently been developed. In this model, lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior (ALB) assessed in the elevated plus maze are produced by a single 5-min exposure of a rat to a cat. Rats become more anxious in the plus maze for up to 3 weeks after the exposure. The present study demonstrates that blockade of NMDA receptors in rats with MK-801, AP7, or CPP, given 30 min prior to exposure to a cat, prevents the increase in ALB assessed 1 week later. MK-801 or AP7, given 30 min after exposure to a cat, do not prevent the increase in ALB seen 1 week later, however. MK-801, but not CPP or AP7, promotes approaches to cats during exposure. This "fearlessness" may reflect some anxiolytic action of MK-801. Approach to cats following injection of MK-801 was eliminated by prior injection of Prazosin. Prazosin did not interfere with the block of increases in ALB following cat exposure, however. These findings are consistent with the view that NMDA receptors are involved in initiation, but not maintenance of neural changes mediating lasting increases in anxiety following severe stress. The significance of these findings for PTSD are discussed.

Neural plasticity, neuropeptides and anxiety in animals--implications for understanding and treating affective disorder following traumatic stress in humans.

Exposure of rats to cats (predator stress) lastingly increases rodent anxiety-like behavior (ALB) in the elevated plus-maze. Previous work shows that lasting changes in ALB following predator stress depend on NMDA and CCKB receptors. In this paper we describe the effects of differing degrees of predator exposure on behavior. Effects depend on the behavioral measure. In general, exposure to predator odor is less provocative of lasting change in ALB than is unprotected exposure to a cat. In addition, we examine the development of effects of unprotected predator exposure over time. Lasting effects on ALB begin at 30 min to 1 h after predator stress and persist for at least 3 weeks. We also report a complex pattern of effects of predator stress on neuroendocrine and stress peptide (bombesin, CRF and AVP) levels in a variety of brain areas. Not surprisingly, predator exposure increases plasma levels of corticosterone and ACTH. Central changes in peptide content in the hypothalamo-pituitary axis, related hypothalamic nuclei, limbic and brain stem areas are also noted. Finally, path analysis demonstrates a replicable relationship between cat behavior, rat defensive behavior and degree of increase in ALB one week later. It is proposed that behavioral changes following predator stress may model anxiety associated with PTSD.

Blockade of CCK(B) but not CCK(A) receptors before and after the stress of predator exposure prevents lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior: implications for anxiety associated with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior (ALB) in rodents in the elevated plus maze have been reported to follow brief (5 min) exposures to a cat. This study examined the role of CCK(A) and CCK(B) receptors in lasting increases in ALB following exposure to a cat. Block of CCK(B) receptors 30 min before and after cat exposure prevented increases in ALB assessed 1 week later in the elevated plus maze. Blocks of CCK(A) receptors either before or after cat exposure were without effect on increases in ALB measured 1 week later. Changes in activity or exploration could not account for the results. Effects of cat exposure on ALB, startle, and corticosteroid levels have been proposed as a model of affective disorder in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Implications of these findings for mechanisms of initiation of anxiety in PTSD and posttrauma pharmacological prophylaxis in PTSD are discussed.

Lasting effects on rodent anxiety of a single exposure to a cat.

The effects on anxiety and risk assessment of exposure to a cat were tested in hooded rats. Anxiety and risk assessment were measured in an elevated plus maze and hole board in a room different from the cat-exposure room. Behavior was tested either 1, 2, 7, 14, or 21 days after cat exposure in different groups of rats. A single exposure to a cat increased anxiety over controls in the plus maze from 1 to 21 days after exposure to a cat. The effects on anxiety were independent of activity or exploratory tendency. Severity of anxiety produced was predicted by the approach, but not the attack, behavior of the cat. Analogous correlations between traumatic stimuli and anxiety are seen in humans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Risk assessment in the plus maze was reduced over the same period in rats exposed to cats. Risk assessment was weakly correlated with anxiety. The findings are discussed with respect to the potential of this phenomenon as a model of generalized anxiety disorder found in PTSD.