After undergoing an early life stress (ELS) event, susceptibility to fear and anxiety-related disorders becomes more common. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder are often precipitated by ELS experience and can negatively impact one’s life and ability to function. An established reciprocal neural circuit between serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and neurons of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis that synthesize and release corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) may be critical for the long-term impacts of ELS on subsequent responding to environmental threats. This study aimed to examine the effects of the CRH2 receptor antagonist (antisauvigine-30; ASV-30) in the DRN on the acquisition of adult fear learning and anxiety following exposure to acute ELS. Using a 2 X 2 factorial design, the impacts of ELS and DRN drug infusion were examined in contextual fear conditioning and subsequent anxiety-like behaviors. Intracranial surgeries were performed to place guide cannulae into the DRN for later infusion prior to fear conditioning. The next day, rats were tested for their fear to the context. Subsequently, rats were tested in the light-dark emergence (LDE) anxiety assay. The results showed no significant effects ASV-30 on freezing behavior during the context fear test nor on anxiety-like behaviors in the LDE test, although there appears to be a trend emerging in female rats. We currently have a small sample size in this experiment and are conducting additional replications for further analysis.
Presenter(s): Kate Brand, Psychology and Biology Major
Advisor(s): Jennifer Quinn, Department of Psychology
Brianna Minshall, Department of Psychology
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