Hypoexpression of benzodiazepine receptors in the amygdala of neophobic BALB/c mice compared to C57BL/6 mice.
The distribution of benzodiazepine receptors in the brain of neophobic BALB/c mice was studied by autoradiographic analysis using [3H]-diazepam and compared to that of the same receptors of the "nonemotional" C57BL/6 mice. This technique revealed no significant interstrain difference except for a lower density of diazepam binding sites in the amygdala of BALB/c mice. Therefore, the expression of benzodiazepine receptors in the amygdala of the two strains of mice were quantified by binding studies on brain membranes. The amygdala of BALB/c mice exhibited a fivefold decrease in the density of benzodiazepine receptors compared to C57BL/6 mice. These results suggest that the trait anxiety (neophobia) that characterizes BALB/c mice could be due, at least in part, to a genetic modulation of benzodiazepine receptor expression in the amygdala, a structure known to be strongly involved in fear behavior.
Hode
Y
Y
Institut de Chimie Biologique et UPR 416 CNRS, Faculté de Médecine, Strasbourg, France.
Ratomponirina
C
C
Gobaille
S
S
Maitre
M
M
Kopp
C
C
Misslin
R
R
D000679:Amygdala / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003975:Diazepam / Q000378:metabolism; D005239:Fear; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000032:analysis*; D013045:Species Specificity
D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D003975:Diazepam