5-HT1A receptors of the prelimbic cortex mediate the hormonal impact on learned fear expression in high-anxious female rats.
Hormones highly influence female behaviors. However, research on this topic has not usually considered the variable hormonal status. The prelimbic cortex (PrL) is commonly engaged in fear learning. Connections from and to this region are known to be critical in regulating anxiety, in which serotonin (5-HT) plays a fundamental role, particularly through changes in 5-HT1A receptors functioning. Also, hormone fluctuations can greatly influence anxiety in humans and anxiety-related behavior in rodents, and this influence involves the functioning of 5-HT brain systems. The present investigation sought to determine whether fluctuations in ovarian hormones relative to the estrous cycle would influence the expression of learned fear in female rats previously selected as low- (LA) or high-anxious (HA). Furthermore, we investigate the role of the 5-HT system of the PrL, particularly the 5-HT1A receptors, as a possible modulator of estrous cycle influence on the expression of learned fear through intra-PrL microinjections of 5-HT itself or the full 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT (8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamine)tetralin). Behavioral changes were assessed using the fear-potentiated startle (FPS) procedure. The results showed that fear intensity is associated with hormonal decay, being more accentuated during the estrus phase. This increase in fear levels was found to be negatively correlated with the expression of potentiated startle. In rats prone to anxiety and tested during the proestrus and estrus phases, 5-HT mechanisms of the PrL seem to play a regulatory role in the expression of learned fear. These results were not replicated in the LA rats. Similar but less intense results were found regarding the early and late diestrus. Our data indicate that future studies on this subject need to take into account the dissociation between low- and high-responsive females to understand how hormones affect emotional behavior.
Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Instituto de Neurociências e Comportamento-INeC, Campus USP, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Renata
R
Ferreira
Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Instituto de Neurociências e Comportamento-INeC, Campus USP, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Marcus Lira
ML
Brandão
Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Departamento de Psicologia, Uni-FACEF, 14401-135 Franca, SP, Brazil; Instituto de Neurociências e Comportamento-INeC, Campus USP, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: mjnes@usp.br.
Manoel Jorge
MJ
Nobre
D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000378:metabolism*; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D012701:Serotonin; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin
Anxiety-like behavior; Conditioned fear; Female rats; Ovarian hormones; Prelimbic cortex; Serotonin; Trait anxiety