title: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor response in vulnerable and resilient genetic lines in the chick anxiety-depression model.
abstract: Altered BDNF-mediated synaptogenesis is a major contributor to stress-vulnerability and depression. This study sought to determine patterns of hippocampal BDNF expression in stress-vulnerable and -resilient strains in the chick anxiety-depression model. Socially raised Black Australorp and Production Red strains were tested at 5-6 days post hatch under either 30, 60, 90, or 120 min of social separation stress; chicks tested with 2 social companions for 120 min served as controls. Distress vocalizations were recorded throughout the test session and latency to behavioral despair calculated. Following tests, bilateral hippocampal sections were harvested and analyzed via ELISA for BDNF levels. Black Australorps had shorter latencies to behavioral despair than Production Reds reflecting greater stress vulnerability. No differences were detected in BDNF levels between a No-Test and Social group within or between strains. The stress resilient Production Reds showed stable BDNF levels across the isolation test period whereas the vulnerable Black Australorps showed an increase in hippocampal BDNF levels that peaked at 90 min and declined thereafter. These findings fit well with the notion that strain-dependent stress-vulnerability reflects, in part, poor homeostatic mechanisms controlling synaptogenesis.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA. mjloria@go.olemiss.edu
authors: Melissa J
authors: MJ
authors: Loria
authors: Stephen W
authors: SW
authors: White
authors: S Alexandra
authors: SA
authors: Robbins
authors: Amy L
authors: AL
authors: Salmeto
authors: Kristen A
authors: KA
authors: Hymel
authors: S Narasimha
authors: SN
authors: Murthy
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Manda
authors: Kenneth J
authors: KJ
authors: Sufka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003863:Depression / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012934:Social Isolation; D013045:Species Specificity; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism; D014828:Vocalization, Animal
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor