Behaviour in the elevated plus-maze predicts coping after subchronic mild stress in mice.
This study was aimed at investigating the coping style of mice subjected to a subchronic unpredictable mild stress procedure and its relationship to initial emotional reactivity. Two inbred strains of mice, the BALB/c ByJ and the C57BL/6 J, known to exhibit distinct emotionality, have been used. They were first observed in the elevated plus-maze and the free exploratory paradigm, each provides a separation of the population in high and low emotional mice. Half of the mice of each strain were then confronted to a 2-week subchronic unpredictable mild stress and tested for their responses in different behavioural situations (consumption of a palatable food, physical state, grooming behaviours and reactivity to a conflict situation). Mice were also tested in the light/dark procedure to assess the effect of the subchronic stress on emotional reactivity. First, a relationship between initial emotional reactivity in the elevated plus-maze and behavioural coping style in response to stress was found, high emotional mice (i.e., BALB mice) displaying inhibited behaviours and less emotional mice (i.e., BL/6 mice) exhibiting few behavioural changes. Furthermore, emotional reactivity was increased in stressed mice compared with nonstressed ones.
Ducottet
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EA3248 Psychobiologie des Emotions, IFR 120, Imageries et explorations fonctionnelles, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, 37 200 Tours, France. cecile.ducottet@etu.univ-tours.fr
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D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D006120:Grooming / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010863:Piloerection / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology