title: Stress-induced enhancement of fear conditioning activates the amygdalar cholecystokinin system in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a debilitating psychiatric disease characterized by invasive and persistent fear memories-induced stressful experience, is associated with numerous changes in neuroendocrine function. Here, we investigated whether PTSD-like symptoms are associated with changes in the cholecystokinin (CCK) system in the basolateral amygdala. We developed an animal model of PTSD using multiple foot shocks at 1.1 mA. The resulting conditioned fear response was severe (>80% freezing) and maintained for at least 28 days. The stress-associated neurotransmitters norepinephrine, dopamine, and corticotrophin-releasing hormone were elevated at 1 day after foot shock. CCK immunoreactivity and extracellular concentration as well as the expression of CCK receptors (CCK1R, CCK2R) increased progressively for 28 days following foot shock. Taken together, these results suggest that stress-induced activation of the CCK system in the BLA, which may contribute toward the development of PTSD-like symptoms.
authors.affiliation: aHebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine bInstitute of Chinese Integrative Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Shengchang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Qiming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yingmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chunling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cong
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000378:metabolism*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004597:Electroshock; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005528:Foot; D046352:Freezing Reaction, Cataleptic / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043886:Receptor, Cholecystokinin A / Q000378:metabolism; D043887:Receptor, Cholecystokinin B / Q000378:metabolism; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D043886:Receptor, Cholecystokinin A; D043887:Receptor, Cholecystokinin B; D002766:Cholecystokinin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine