title: Daily exposure to a touchscreen-paradigm and associated food restriction evokes an increase in adrenocortical and neural activity in mice.
abstract: The translational assessment of mechanisms underlying cognitive functions using touchscreen-based approaches for rodents is growing in popularity. In these paradigms, daily training is usually accompanied by extended food restriction to maintain animals' motivation to respond for rewards. Here, we show a transient elevation in stress hormone levels due to food restriction and touchscreen training, with subsequent adaptation effects, in fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations, indicating effective coping in response to physical and psychological stressors. Corticosterone concentrations of experienced but training-deprived mice revealed a potential anticipation of task exposure, indicating a possible temporary environmental enrichment-like effect caused by cognitive challenge. Furthermore, the analyses of immediate early gene (IEG) immunoreactivity in the hippocampus revealed alterations in Arc, c-Fos and zif268 expression immediately following training. In addition, BDNF expression was altered as a function of satiation state during food restriction. These findings suggest that standard protocols for touchscreen-based training induce changes in hippocampal neuronal activity related to satiation and learning that should be considered when using this paradigm.
authors.affiliation: Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne Stephanie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mallien
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Rupert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palme
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Juliet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richetto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muzzillo
authors.affiliation: Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Sophie Helene
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Miriam Annika
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.affiliation: Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dragos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco Andrea
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.affiliation: Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vollmayr
authors.affiliation: Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gass
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D031204:Caloric Restriction / Q000523:psychology* / Q000662:veterinary; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012201:Reward; D014110:Touch
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: BDNF; Corticosterone concentration; Food restriction; Hippocampus; Immediate early genes; Mice; Stress; Touchscreen chambers; Translation