The rostral anterior cingulate cortex modulates depression but not anxiety-related behaviour in the rat.
A growing body of functional imaging studies suggests that human depression and anxiety symptoms are associated with functional abnormalities in the circuitry formed by the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) and its direct limbic and paralimbic connections. In rodents however, the role of the rACC (rCG1/rCG2) remains unknown in depression-related behaviours and elusive in acute anxiety. In order to address this, we specifically lesioned the rat rCG1/rCG2, and assessed the behavioural outcome using a modified forced swim test (FST) and the elevated plus maze (EPM), tests for depression and anxiety related behaviours respectively. Lesions of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex significantly increased the time spent immobile in the FST without affecting climbing or swimming performances, suggesting a pro-depressant effect. On the contrary, none of the parameters measured in the EPM was affected by the lesion. These data point to an involvement of the rCG1/rCG2 in depression-related coping behaviours.
Bissiere
Stephanie
S
Neuroscience Research, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland.
McAllister
Kevin H
KH
Olpe
Hans-Rudolf
HR
Cryan
John F
JF
D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003863:Depression / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000633:toxicity; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D007051:Ibotenic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D046353:Immobility Response, Tonic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology
D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D007051:Ibotenic Acid