Increased BOLD activation to predator stressor in subiculum and midbrain of amphetamine-sensitized maternal rats.
Amphetamine, which is known to cause sensitization, potentiates the hormonal and neurobiological signatures of stress and may also increase sensitivity to stress-inducing stimuli in limbic areas. Trimethylthiazoline (5μL TMT) is a chemical constituent of fox feces that evokes innate fear and activates the neuronal and hormonal signatures of stress in rats. We used blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI to test whether amphetamine sensitization (1mg/kg, i.p. ×3days) in female rats has a lasting effect on the neural response to a stress-evoking stimulus, the scent of a predator, during the postpartum period. The subiculum and dopamine-enriched midbrain VTA/SN of amphetamine-sensitized but not control mothers showed a greater BOLD signal response to predator odor than a control putrid scent. The greater responsiveness of these two brain regions following stimulant sensitization might impact neural processing in response to stressors in the maternal brain.
Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA. m.febo@neu.edu
Marcelo
M
Febo
Ashley S
AS
Pira
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009812:Odorants; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
C451263:2,4,5 trimethylthiazoline; D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D013844:Thiazoles; D000661:Amphetamine; D010100:Oxygen