利用正交试验优化建立大鼠条件恐惧记忆模型

目的 利用正交试验,优化建立大鼠条件恐惧记忆模型的最佳实验参数,寻找最佳试验条件。方法利用巴普洛夫条件恐惧原理,建立大鼠条件恐惧记忆模型;采用3因素3水平的正交试验设计,以模型建立24h后大鼠木僵反应时间为指标,观察不同参数条件下恐惧记忆的表达情况,确定最佳试验条件。以优选的实验条件建立条件恐惧记忆模型,并于24h、1周、2周、4周和8周后进行恐惧记忆保持检测。结果 直观分析结果表明,各因素影响能力依次为声音强度=循环次数>电击强度;方差分析结果表明,循环次数对实验结果有显著影响(P<0.05),声音强度和电击强度影响不显著(P>0.05)。确定最优实验条件为:声音75dB,电击0.8mA,循环15次。在模型建立24h和1周时,大鼠恐惧记忆保持良好,与对照组比较差异有显著性(P<0.001和P<0.05);第2周后恐惧记忆逐渐消退,与对照组比较差异无显著性(P>0.05)。结论 本实验明确了大鼠条件恐惧记忆模型影响因素的主次,优化了实验条件,为模型的标准化、规范化及后续研究提供了可借鉴的实验的依据。     

慢性不可预见性应激对大鼠恐惧条件反射和躯体感觉诱发电位的影响

目的:探讨慢性不可预见性应激对大鼠恐惧条件反射以及体感诱发电位的影响并分析可能的神经电生理机制。方法:26只雄性SD大鼠(190~200 g)随机分成两组(n=13):对照组和模型组。用慢性不可预见性应激刺激模型组大鼠,用恐惧条件反射实验检测两组大鼠的恐惧反应,用躯体感觉诱发电位检测大鼠脑电活动。结果:与对照组相比,模型组大鼠在恐惧记忆阶段不动时间百分比减小(56.64%±13.78%vs69.72%±18.10%,P<0.05),躯体感觉诱发电位的第二个正向波(P2)潜伏期也明显缩短(70.54±10.13 msvs78.46±7.80 ms,P<0.05)。相关性分析显示大鼠恐惧条件反射的不动时间与躯体感觉诱发电位潜伏期存在正相关(r=0.507,P<0.05)。结论:慢性不可预见性应激抑制大鼠恐惧反应,并缩短体表感觉诱发电位的潜伏期,恐惧反应行为与体感诱发电位潜伏期存在正相关,提示大鼠恐惧反应与体表感觉诱发电位可能有共同的神经递质机制。     

视觉功能减弱增强小鼠听觉恐惧条件反射

作为一种高级认知活动,视觉功能减弱是否影响听觉恐惧条件化学习目前还不清楚.本文以突变体rd/rd、cl/cl小鼠为视觉功能减弱组,研究视觉功能减弱是否对听觉巴甫洛夫条件化恐惧反应有影响.在恐惧条件化、恐惧消退和消除记忆再现阶段记录了僵直行为.研究结果表明,视觉功能的减弱更有利于小鼠听觉恐惧条件化的建立.文中讨论了出现此...     

雌激素及应激与人类认知功能的关系

以当前生理学、医学等相关学科研究的最新成果为例介绍了雌激素、应激和人类认知功能三者之间的关系。说明雌激素与应激均可影响人类情绪、中枢学习和记忆功能,不利应激降低雌激素水平,而雌激素又可减少不利应激带来的损害,最后指出雌激素替代治疗的广阔临床应用前景。     

大鼠慢性多重应激模型的建立

目的:建立大鼠慢性多重应激模型,为研究应激性疾病提供实验模型.方法:健康雄性SD大鼠随机分为模型组(n=10)和对照组(n=10).模型组采用脉冲随机变动的噪声、夜间光照、足底电击以及强迫游泳和束缚的复合刺激为应激源,对大鼠实施刺激,观察行为变化,检测心率、血压、体重增长速率、食物利用率,测定血清ACTH和皮质酮并进行分析.结果:慢性多重应激大鼠由实验之初的兴奋状态逐渐进入抑制状态,血压心率上升,体重增长缓慢,食物利用率降低,血清ACTH和皮质酮增高.结论:慢性多重应激大鼠一般行为、基本生理体征和下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴(HPA)功能发生改变,应激反应处于持续亢奋状态,该模型是较稳定较理想的应激模型.     

视觉功能减弱增强小鼠听觉恐惧条件反射（英文）

作为一种高级认知活动,视觉功能减弱是否影响听觉恐惧条件化学习目前还不清楚.本文以突变体rd/rd、cl/cl小鼠为视觉功能减弱组,研究视觉功能减弱是否对听觉巴甫洛夫条件化恐惧反应有影响.在恐惧条件化、恐惧消退和消除记忆再现阶段记录了僵直行为.研究结果表明,视觉功能的减弱更有利于小鼠听觉恐惧条件化的建立.文中讨论了出现此结果的可能神经机制.     

急性恐惧应激对大鼠行为、激素水平及脑Erk1/2活化表达的影响

目的:探讨急性恐惧应激对大鼠情感行为、激素水平及不同脑区Erk1/2活化表达的影响。方法:采用足电击 白噪声刺激方式建立急性恐惧应激大鼠模型,观察其情感行为的改变;放射免疫法及荧光分光光度法检测血浆和脑组织激素水平;Westernblot检测Erk1/2的活化表达。结果:应激后大鼠旷场活动性降低、拒俘反应性增加、惊吓反应增强(P<0.01);血浆及脑组织去甲肾上腺素、5-羟色胺、皮质醇水平增高,而肾上腺髓质素水平降低(P<0.01);海马、纹状体、前额皮质、小脑等脑区磷酸化Erk1/2蛋白的表达均显著增高(P<0.01)。结论:急性恐惧应激可以显著影响大鼠的情感行为和激素水平,Erk1/2蛋白磷酸化水平的增高可能参与了急性恐惧应激所致的情感行为异常。     

运动缓解创伤后应激障碍恐惧记忆泛化及成体海马神经再生机制研究进展

运动可通过成体海马神经再生(adult hippocampal neurogenesis, AHN)促进模式分离从而有效缓解创伤后应激障碍(post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD)恐惧记忆泛化,即通过运动促进AHN可以减少PTSD患者的恐惧记忆对相似记忆的干扰,从而缓解PTSD患者的恐惧记忆泛化,这为运动干预有效治疗PTSD恐惧记忆泛化的可行性提供了理论支持。该文阐述了运动促进的AHN改善PTSD恐惧记忆泛化的研究进展,以期为PTSD基础研究及治疗提供新思路。     

米非司酮对大鼠恐惧条件化及消退的影响

目的：研究米非司酮（RU486）对大鼠恐惧条件化及消退的影响。方法：大鼠连续4天给药（或生理盐水）后开始行为学实验,1 d适应环境;2 d进行恐惧条件化;3 d恐惧消退训练（也是条件化恐惧的表达检测阶段）;4 d进行消退记忆再现检测。结果：在恐惧表达阶段,两处理组与各自对照组大鼠的僵直水平组间差异都无显著性;在消退再现检测阶段,高剂量RU486组大鼠的僵直水平显著高于对照组,低剂量RU486组与对照组大鼠的僵直水平组间差异无显著性。结论：米非司酮损害消退记忆的再现,且这种损害与剂量有关。     

应激对机体脑体功能的影响及其生物学机制初探

目的：探讨应激对机体脑体功能的损伤效应及其生物学机制,为应激损伤防护措施的制订提供科学依据。方法：采用束缚应激模型,观察模型动物认知功能、体能、海马LTP、血浆糖皮质激素、心电图、心肌组织结构等指标的变化。结果：应激动物学习记忆能力和运动耐力明显下降,血浆糖皮质激素水平显著升高,海马LTP诱发受到抑制,心电图异常改变,心功能紊乱,心肌组织结构出现病理损伤,心肌细胞凋亡率增加,心肌组织Hsp70表达水平随应激强度增加而逐渐降低。结论：应激诱导机体神经一内分泌功能紊乱,进而导致机体脑体功能损伤。     

Neonatal handling enhances contextual fear conditioning and alters corticosterone stress responses in young rats

Previous studies have indicated that neonatal handling influences development of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) control of corticosterone. In addition, corticosterone influences memory consolidation processes in contextual fear conditioning. Therefore, neonatal handling may affect hippocampal-dependent memory processes present in contextual fear conditioning by influencing the development of HPA control of corticosterone. To investigate the effects of neonatal handling on early learning, rat pups were either handled (15-min removal from home cage) on the first 15 days after birth or left undisturbed in their home cage. Handled rats and nonhandled rats were fear conditioned at 18, 21, or 30 days of age and then tested at two time points--24 h following conditioning and at postnatal day 45. Subsequently, at approximately postnatal day 60, rats were exposed to restraint stress and corticosterone levels were assessed during restraint and recovery. Handled and nonhandled rats did not differ significantly in their freezing response immediately following footshock on the conditioning day. However, when tested for contextual fear conditioning at 24 h following conditioning and at postnatal day 45, handled rats showed more freezing behavior than nonhandled rats. When exposed to restraint stress, handled rats had a more rapid return of corticosterone to basal levels than nonhandled rats. These results indicate that neonatal handling enhances developmentally early memory processes involved in contextual fear conditioning and confirms previously reported effects of neonatal handling on HPA control of corticosterone.     

The role of NCAM in auditory fear conditioning and its modulation by stress: a focus on the amygdala

Chronic stress in rodents was shown to induce structural shrinkage and functional alterations in the hippocampus that were linked to spatial memory impairments. Effects of chronic stress on the amygdala have been linked to a facilitation of fear conditioning. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood, increasing evidence highlights the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) as an important molecular mediator of stress‐induced structural and functional alterations. In this study, we investigated whether altered NCAM expression levels in the amygdala might be related to stress‐induced enhancement of auditory fear conditioning and anxiety‐like behavior. In adult C57BL/6J wild‐type mice, chronic unpredictable stress resulted in an isoform‐specific increase of NCAM expression (NCAM‐140 and NCAM‐180) in the amygdala, as well as enhanced auditory fear conditioning and anxiety‐like behavior. Strikingly, forebrain‐specific conditional NCAM‐deficient mice (NCAM‐floxed mice that express the cre‐recombinase under the control of the promoter of the α‐subunit of the calcium‐calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II), whose amygdala NCAM expression levels are reduced, displayed impaired auditory fear conditioning which was not altered following chronic stress exposure. Likewise, chronic stress in these conditional NCAM‐deficient mice did not modify NCAM expression levels in the amygdala or hippocampus, while they showed enhanced anxiety‐like behavior, questioning the involvement of NCAM in this type of behavior. Together, our results strongly support the involvement of NCAM in the amygdala in the consolidation of auditory fear conditioning and highlight increased NCAM expression in the amygdala among the mechanisms whereby stress facilitates fear conditioning processes.     

慢性束缚应激对SD和Wistar大鼠学习记忆能力的影响

目的探讨慢性束缚应激对Wistar、SD两种品系大鼠学习记忆能力的影响,为应激模型中实验动物的选择提供依据。方法对两种品系大鼠(Wistar、SD)采用每天束缚10 h,束缚28 d建立慢性应激模型。采用物体认知新物体识别实验和Morris水迷宫空间学习、工作记忆行为学检测方法,观察束缚应激对两种品系实验动物学习记忆能力的影响。结果束缚28 d后,物体识别实验中,Wistar、SD模型组的辨别指数(discrimination index,DI)均低于对照组,但只有SD两组间差异存在显著性(P0.05);水迷宫空间学习阶段,SD模型组潜伏期高于对照组,第5天差异有显著性(P0.05),而Wistar模型组与对照组间的潜伏期没有差异;水迷宫工作记忆阶段,SD大鼠模型组与正常组比较,潜伏期显著增加(P0.05),Wistar模型大鼠的潜伏期与对照组比较没有显著差异。结论新物体识别实验和水迷宫实验,这两种反应动物不同学习记忆能力的行为学实验结果都表明,慢性束缚应激(10 h,28 d)对SD大鼠学习记忆能力的损伤较Wistar大鼠明显。SD大鼠可能更适合作为慢性应激所致学习记忆损伤动物模型。     

Amygdaloid and non-amygdaloid fear both influence avoidance of risky foraging in hungry rats

Considerable evidence seems to show that emotional and reflex reactions to feared situations are mediated by the amygdala. It might therefore seem plausible to expect that amygdala-coded fear should also influence decisions when animals make choices about instrumental actions. However, there is not good evidence of this. In particular, it appears, though the literature is conflicted, that once learning is complete, the amygdala may often not be involved in instrumental avoidance behaviours. It is therefore of interest that we have found in rats living for extended periods in a semi-naturalistic ‘closed economy’, where they were given random shocks in regions that had to be entered to obtain food, choices about feeding behaviour were in fact influenced by amygdala-coded fear, in spite of the null effect of amygdalar lesions on fear of dangerous location per se. We suggest that avoidance of highly motivated voluntary behaviour does depend in part on fear signals originating in the amygdala. Such signalling may be one role of well-known projections from amygdala to cortico-striate circuitry.     

Infusion of methylphenidate into the basolateral nucleus of amygdala or anterior cingulate cortex enhances fear memory consolidation in rats

The psychostimulant methylphenidate (MPD; also called Ritalin) is a blocker of dopamine and norepi-nephrine transporter. It has been clinically used for treatment of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There have been inconsistent reports regarding the effects of systemically adminis-tered MPD on learning and memory, either in animals or humans. In the present study, we investigated the effect of direct infusion of MPD into the basolateral nucleus of amygdala (BLA) or the anterior cin-gulate cortex (ACC) on conditioned fear memory. Rats were trained on a one-trial step-through inhibi-tory avoidance task. MPD was infused bilaterally into the BLA or the ACC, either at ‘0’ or 6 h post-training. Saline was administered as control. Memory retention was tested 48 h post-training. In-tra-BLA or intra-ACC infusion of MPD ‘0’ h but not 6 h post-training significantly improved 48-h memory retention: the MPD-treated rats had significant longer step-through latency than controls. The present results indicate that action of MPD in the BLA or the ACC produces a beneficial effect on the consoli-dation of inhibitory avoidance memory.     

Prior exposure to a single stress session facilitates subsequent contextual fear conditioning in rats. Evidence for a role of corticosterone

Previous studies showed that exposure of rats to chronic restraint stress for 21 days enhances subsequent contextual fear conditioning. Since recent evidence suggest that this effect is not dependent on stress-induced neurodegenerative processes, but to elevated training-elicited glucocorticoid release in chronically stressed animals, we aimed to explore here whether a single exposure to restraint stress, which is not expected to induce neuronal damage, would also affect contextual fear conditioning. We also questioned whether post-training corticosterone levels might be associated with any potential effect of stress on fear conditioning. Adult male Wistar rats were exposed to acute restraint stress for 2 h and, two days later, trained in the contextual fear conditioning task, under training conditions involving either moderate (0.4 mA shock) or high (1 mA shock) stress levels. The results showed that acute stress enhanced conditioned freezing at both training conditions, although data from the 1 mA shock intensity experiment only approached significance. Stressed animals were shown to display higher post-training corticosterone levels. Furthermore, the facilitating effect of prior stress was not evident when animals were trained in the hippocampal-independent auditory-cued conditioning task. Therefore, these findings support the idea that stress experiences preceding exposure to new types of stressors facilitate the development of contextual fear conditioning. They also indicate that not only repeated, but also a single exposure to aversive stimulation is sufficient to facilitate context-dependent fear conditioning, and suggest that increased glucocorticoid release at training might be implicated in the mechanisms mediating the memory facilitating effects induced by prior stress experiences.