title: Place conditioning and neurochemical responses elicited by the aftereffect of acute stressor exposure involving an elevated stand.
abstract: Acute exposure to an elevated stand has been used as an inescapable mild stressor for rats. The present study examined the effects of this stressor using a place conditioning behavioral test and neurochemical assays of dopamine and its metabolite, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. The behavioral data showed that a conditioned place preference was formed as an aftereffect of the elevated stand stressor. In a separate experiment, neurochemical assay showed an immediate increase of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens after 30min exposure to the elevated stand stressor. In addition, the DOPAC content in the nucleus accumbens was significantly increased at 30min after this stressor. No significant change in dopamine or DOPAC levels in the medial prefrontal cortex was detected for up to 60min after stressor manipulation. These results suggest that an increase in dopamine activity in the nucleus accumbens is involved in the development of conditioned place preference elicited by the aftereffects of the elevated stand stressor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, National Cheng-Chi University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology and Pharmacology, Chang-Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jin-Chung
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, National Cheng-Chi University, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Neuroscience, National Cheng-Chi University, Taipei, Taiwan; Research Center for Mind, Brain and Learning, National Cheng-Chi University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: rmliao@nccu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ruey-Ming
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine