Prolonged treatment with beta-adrenoceptor antagonists counteracts the aggression deficit induced by chronic stress.
Chronic stress-induced behavioral disturbances have been used as experimental models of depression. One of them is the deficit of fighting behavior induced by 16-day application of various unpredictable stressors. In the present study we investigated the effect of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (propranolol, pindolol, nadolol and acebutolol) on electric footshock-induced fighting behavior in chronically stressed (14 various stressors over 16 days) male Wistar rats. It was found that the number of fighting attacks was reduced by about 50-80% in the rats submitted to chronic stress. Prolonged, 14-day, but not acute, treatment with propranolol, pindolol or nadolol (but not acebutolol) counteracted the deficit of aggression induced by chronic stress. It is suggested that beta-adrenoceptor antagonists which penetrate the blood-brain barrier may prevent the behavioral changes induced by chronic stress.
Zebrowska-Lupina
I
I
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Academy, Lublin, Poland.
Ossowska
G
G
Lupina
T
T
Klenk-Majewska
B
B
D000070:Acebutolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009248:Nadolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D010869:Pindolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011433:Propranolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D009248:Nadolol; D000070:Acebutolol; D011433:Propranolol; D010869:Pindolol